Marie
by Hunter116
Summary: Having just left the Capital Wasteland on a quest to discover what unifies a wasteland into a country, the Lone Wanderer wanders into the Commonwealth hoping to find the answer he was looking for. *Not Lore Friendly
1. It's All Over

James couldn't believe his eyes. He ran down hill, trailing dust behind him. He nearly lost his footing as he climbed down the hillside. Ever since Ashur took him out hunting in the mutate forests just outside of the Pitt, James had never gone back to the railway that Wehrner had used to bring James to the Pitt.

He nearly lost his footing as he sprinted from the trail and onto the pavement. A flurry of missiles flew from the vertibirds orbiting the Prydwyn and slammed into buildings and newly rebuilt skyscrapers. Ashur had been busy while James was gone. And what was it all for?

A building collapsed and the ground shook. James panted as he sprinted past people attempting to escape the besieged city. He recognized many faces. Many who had previously been slaves. Not five years ago they wore rags and owned nothing. Now, many owned businesses, property, even trade caravans; many wore suits, dresses, jewelry in place of the scraps of clothing they once were forced to wear. Many "soldiers" in metal, leather, and combat armor rushed past pushing others aside. Society in the Pitt hadn't changed much since James had gotten sick of the place. Ashur promised change and it came, but too slowly for James. He could no longer stomach. Now he wished he stayed longer to do more, influence more changes, something. Something that would have left a legacy for the Pitt. But now, the Pitt is nothing. Reduced to rubble, purged a second time by the Brotherhood of Steel. But it was no longer a zealous and righteous swing of the sword, but a test and proving grounds for the Brotherhood's larger and future task of besieging the Commonwealth. James knew it. Maxson would have wanted nothing else.

Vertibirds rushed past overhead, miniguns blasted from the airborne vehicles. Many brave security officers or Ashur's militia took potshots at the vertibirds. Unfortunately, their attempts were in vain, they were mowed down by the well-trained crackshots in the Brotherhood. James made it into the main part of the city. A stone statue that vaguely resembled James stood in place of the old "chained man" that Ashur once erected to remind people of their place. It was vague the way James wanted it. Nothing recognisible except for the Vault 101 armor suit and the 10mm weapon that he carried. The 10mm had come to represent the law in the Pitt before James left. He caught a glimpse of it as he passed. He ran up the steps to Haven, soldiers and officers carrying assault rifles and missile launchers stacked up sandbags for the inevitable siege to come. No one recognized James. He would have smiled if it weren't for the situation.

James ran into the atrium he stormed into the elevator, past soldiers assisting escaping secretaries and office officials. They were new, Ashur had really kept his word about trying to overhaul the Pitt. James couldn't wait as the elevator inched up the tower. The doors shook open and James jumped through the slit. He ran into Ashur's office where Ashur stood, just like all the times before, behind his desk, slumped over a desk and a map of the Pitt.

"Ashur." James panted. Ashur looked up and the corner of his lip betrayed his calm composure. He almost smiled, he never does that. James thought.

"James." Ashur nodded. The building shook once more. James could hear gunshots in the distance. "I take it you've noticed the new additions we've made to the Pitt in your absence?"

"Yeah, Ashur I have. What do you-" James began. An explosion shook the whole floor, more gunshots. Closer.

"Our expansion was going so well too. You'll be proud to know your medical discoveries and tactical analyses of the Trogs allowed the militia to control the Trog population. We were so close to rebuilding the new sector. I just needed more time." Ashur muttered.

"Ashur, you're in shock. Where's Sandra? Where's Marie?" James asked. Ashur looked up grimly and gestured James to follow him.

"Sandra was in the Steel Mill. That was where the Brotherhood hit first." Ashur grunted. He shifted a piece of his shoulder armor.

"I'll go now. I'll find her Ashur, don't worry. I'll get you all out of here." James said as he grabbed Ashur's shoulder. Ashur smirked.

"You don't understand, son. The Brotherhood cratered the whole thing with their airstrikes. I doubt anyone made it out of there. Even if anyone escaped through the old coliseum tunnels, they'd only be heading straight to Trog infested blocks. It'll be a massacre for any survivor."

"My God." James whispered. "I'm so sorry." The dust fell from the ceiling as building shook gently. Ashur looked at James, both men looking into each other's' eyes. James knew, that Ashur had lost the will to live. He'd seen it in many wastelanders before. "What about Marie?" Ashur nodded. He opened the door to the playroom where Marie hid under her bed.

"Marie?" he asked gently as another explosion shook the building.

"Daddy, I'm scared!" Marie cried. Ashur coughed into his glove and James noticed that his armor was dented in several places and dusty. Scraps of shrapnel stuck out from numerous places.

"I've brought a friend to see you, little Marie." Ashur coughed and croaked. James walked out from behind Ashur's huge form.

"Hey there, baby girl." James smiled and said in his most comforting tone. Marie's eyes lit up and she burst into a smile.

"Uncle James!" she giggled as she ran to him and hugged him. The building shook and the lights flickered. James looked out the window. The Brotherhood squads were not too far from the Haven block.

"Ashur, we need to go."

"It's too late for me, boy. Take Marie. Take good care of her. Bring her home, where you came from. Save her from this place." An explosion broke Ashur's sentence. Laser blast sounds rained into the room. "They're here." Ashur sighed. "Take the emergency elevator, we had installed there. Get her out of here. I'll buy you time." Ashur grunted, he hefted a Fat man onto his shoulder and threw on an old T-45d helmet. James nodded his goodbye, picked up Marie and ran into the small compartment. The elevator shot down, much faster than James expected. His eyes failed him and the world became black for a moment. The elevator slammed inot the ground and James took off running. While still cradling Marie in his arms, James somehow navigated through the mess of the Brotherhood siege. He just ran. Ran faster than anyone could see him, faster than he ever had before; all the while holding Marie tight to her chest. She was crying. He thought he knew why, but he wasn't so sure himself. He thought the Brotherhood would never have attacked anybody that wasn't hostile. Now, he wasn't so sure. He finally stopped when he realized he had past the bridge that he first crossed when arriving at the Pitt. He turned back, a vertibird flew down and rained missiles at the bridge. The bridge collapsed. Fires raged across the rebuilt Pitt. He remembered what it had looked like when he arrived. _It looked like Hell_. He remembered. Is it any different now?


	2. Vault 111 Blues

James stoked the campfire and huddled around it for warmth. He took off his tunnel snakes jacket and wrapped it around Marie. It had been a couple months since he took Marie from the Pitt and made his way into the Commonwealth. Mostly by taking up jobs with trade caravan companies. He cursed himself for never having invested in caravans that moved farther north than the Pitt. Most of his investments? His returns? Gone. All went into the Pitt. What caps he did have were spent on the Capital Wasteland Rebuilding fund and any revenue he had with his holdings down South in the aristocratic Richmond and the democratic Republic of George all sent his hard-earned caps straight to the Capital where James assigned Butch to watch over. Now, he wondered if that was a sound judgement. James sat by the fire and looked up. The fire made it difficult to see, but there were stars. There was hope. Stars always amazed him, all the books in the vault never prepared him for the beauty of the stars. His time on Mothership Zeta made sure he'd never want to go up close enough to see them either. But they were beautiful. They always gave him hope. He found himself smiling. He too was a kid, who hadn't truly aged since the day his Dad died. He looked down at Marie who slept with her head leaned against his thigh.

"I won't die on you, baby girl." He whispered. Marie was the closest thing James had ever had to family ever. Now she was his family. He looked around, all the buildings were foreign to him. He had chosen a closed, hidden community of houses called "Sanctuary" to spend the night. He sent the caravan on ahead of him. He was to meet with Jones, the proprietor of Jones Shipping, at Oberland station before they traveled together to Diamond City for more leads for his educational search for answers. _What unifies a group of settlements into a country? How stupid must I be to come all the way up here for that!_ James sighed and brushed Marie's hair. _How stupid can I be not to have taken her back home? To come up here anyways despite the dangers of the Commonwealth?_ James felt guilty. He only had enough money for one trip, not a two-way for a long time. And now, he was here, with her. James popped open a beer and stashed the bottle cap into his bag. He took a sip and sat there, leaned against a tree. Suddenly, he heard a humming sound. James slowly reached for his 10mm, he was careful not to wake Marie with any sudden movements. He attached the silencer and squinted at the surrounding area. He couldn't see, it was pitch black and the fire made it somehow much harder to see. He turned and there floated a Mr. Handy.

"Oh shit!" James cried and fell over. He sat up and saw Marie also sit up. She rubbed her eyes.

"Is it time to wake up, Uncle James?" she mumbled, half-asleep.

"No, no. Go back to sleep darling, I just need to do something really quick." James whispered. He stood up and the Mr. Handy floated back. Marie nodded slowly and fell back asleep, wrapped in his oversized coat. The Mr. Handy floated inside a nearby house. James turned and dropped a proximity detector. A small gadget he had rigged with the help of some Brotherhood scribes and captured Enclave technology that would warn him of incoming objects inside a 300 foot radius. He held up his pistol and walked carefully inside. He checked his corners, the way he was trained. Nothing. He saw an overturned chair, wrecked table, baby bottles and other kitchen materials cluttered around. He turned on his Pip-Boy light.

"Oh, good show there, sir!" the Mr. Handy chirped.

"Good God!" James jumped. "Stop that!" He breathed in and out. He still had his gun at the ready. "You're pretty friendly." James commented.

"Well, of course, sir! I am a Mr. Handy robotic butler built by General Atomics for domestic care. The name I have been designated is Codsworth. Good to meet you." Codsworth stated.

"Okay, so no tampering as far as I can tell." James commented. "Codsworth, huh? I always you guys were called Wadsworth when you have names."

"Well, I do say!" Codsworth huffed. _Can robots huff?_ "I'll have you know that the Wadsworth model is the defective and store-brand model. I am made of a higher caliber of materials and held to even higher standards."

"Really?" James asked, amused. "And can you show me any proof for these claims?"

"Uh…" Codsworth trailed away.

"Don't worry, Codsworth. I can keep a secret." James smirked.

"Of course, sir." Codsworth said. "I assume you are here for the Vault?"

"Vault? What Vault?" James asked.

"Well you are wearing a RobCo Pip-Boy 3000A and a vault suit at that. I assume you are from Vault-Tec finally releasing the inhabitants of Santuary's very own Vault 111!" Codsworth was ecstatic. "I am so excited! This home belonged to my owners, since the bombs dropped I have maintained it to the best of my programming. They were one of the lucky few that were assigned to the vault. It is my enduring hope and belief that they Mister Nate and the madame arrived at the Vault safely with young Shaun."

"Huh. Vault. Where is it?"

"Just behind the town, sir. There is a billboard you will be able to see when the sun rises in about a half hour. The vault is not far from there, you cannot miss it."

"I see."

"So are you going to go on your duty and inspect the vault or are we just going to jabber on with small talk?" Codsworth asked, almost sarcastically. "I truly wish to see the descendents of young Shaun and the family. I do hope they had good stories to tell of my service. Perhaps I can even serve the new family!"

"Okay, Codsworth focus here buddy. I'm going to head to the Vault now, can you watch Marie for me?"

"Of course, sir."

"All right hold on a sec here." James walked out and picked Marie up gently and as carefully as he could, walked across the street and into the house. He laid her on the couch gently and kissed her forehead. Then he went to Codsworth and sneaked behind him. He tapped the emergency off button and inspected the insides of the home butler. He inserted a conductor built to reprogram General Atomics robots and waited for Codsworth's systems to recalibrate. James took it out and watched Codsworth whir back to life.

"As I live and breathe, I have never experienced such a good sleep, sir." Codsworth said. "What did you do?"

"I just did a routine check-up of your systems and ensured that you were operating at peak efficiency." James added a grin to throw Codsworth off the scent that James had actually just reprogrammed Codsworth to never have the ability to target James or Marie should Codsworth ever prove to be a danger or a hostile. These conductors were not really conductors, only James called them that because the Scribes found them at the Enclave dig site at Addams and have called them that since. James pocketed the conductor and headed for the Vault. He left his packpack at the house and only carried his 10mm pistol and short-barreled shotgun. He walked up to the top of the hill and discovered that the door was actually an elevator.

"Cool." James whispered to himself. He walked to a booth he guessed was the control center for the elevator. He tapped the button and heard a whirring and a click. He rushed to the elevator platform and rode it down the levels.

James walked through the vault he heard a clicking noise and instantly recognized it. _Radroaches._ They made James's skin tingle. Ever since his escape from Vault 101, James had developed a phobia of all bug-like creatures. If they got too close, he'd freeze. He spotted a few radroaches from the distance and picked them off with his pistol. It was silenced so no other roaches were notified of his dispatching of them. He walked next to the door button and discovered a skeleton. He picked up the Pip-Boy that was on its arm.

"The hell happened here?" James muttered. "I guess it wasn't as safe as Codswroth hoped." James clipped the Pip-Boy to his belt and took the door on the left of the room. Whatever was on the right could wait. James found himself surrounded by roaches, he almost froze before adrenaline caused him to pull out his shotgun and begin blasting away at the roaches. He panted and slung the shotgun when all of the roaches was dispatched. _God, I hate roaches._ He continued down the hallway and found a locked doorway. He stooped down and begin to pick the lock. He broke two lockpicks and on the third try managed to unlock it. He found himself in the Overseer's office and was reminded of Amata. _Why did you do those things? I thought you were better than your father, Amata?_ James frowned and spotted a gun in a locked cabinet.

"Cool. I'll be back for you later." James grinned. He searched the office and pocketed a few boxes of ammo for the 10mm. Which was good, he was running low. He dispatched two more roaches as he continued into the Vault reactor and eventually a long hallway. He walked left and discovered a room filled with pods. Suddenly, the alarms begin to whir and ring.

"Oh shit, what did I do?" James held his pistol out, ready to confront whatever was in the pods. Nothing happened just the alarms. "What the?" James muttered and he began to inspect each pod. _They're all dead. Or at least not moving._ The intercom repeated the same phrase over and over: "Warning! Catastrophic Pod failure!" James shook his head and noticed that the room was extremely cold. He could see his breath. He neared the last pod and peered inside. The pod burst open, James jumped and a woman flew out of pod, James caught her in his arms. The surprise and the sudden weight that fell in arms caused him to stumble and fall to his knees.

"Holy shit. Miss? Ma'am? Are you all right?" James asked. He looked at her face, she was unhealthily, pale. Nothing that seemed normal for anyone who lived in the wasteland. Even in a vault. He shook his gently. James's medical training took hold and he laid her on the ground. He brushed her hair to the side and found himself transfixed. _Holy cow, she's beautiful_. James shook his head. _Not now, dammit!_ James opened her eyes and saw that her pupils were dilating which was a good sign he began to check for a pulse when suddenly she slammed her fist into his throat. James choked and hacked as he doubled over form the sudden attack. The woman screamed and kicked James in the chest. He fell to his back and the woman jumped on him, pounding away at him. It was all he could do to avoid being hit.

"You killed him! You killed him!" she repeated as her blows slammed against James's arms. He still couldn't speak. Then the blows stopped. James looked up. The woman was now staring at him too. Their eyes locked and James felt his heart skip.

"uh…" He began. She punched him in the jaw. "Jesus what the hell lady?!"

"Where is he?!" She screamed once more. "Where did you take my son?!"

"What?!" James cried. He blocked another blow. _Again with the hitting!_ "What son?! I just got here!"

"What are you talking about?" she stopped and asked. Her expression changed once again. Softer. Her eyes caught James's attention. Hers darted away as soon as he looked. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "I… I just saw it. Somebody took my boy… Somebody killed my husband." James fell back and rested his battered head against the floor. He now noticed that she was practically sitting on top of him. _Why is that what I'm noticing right now?_ He asked himself. He looked back at the woman.

"Gee, I'm sorry lady. But I swear, I have no idea what you're talking about! I just came to investigate the Vault is all." James said in his most comforting voice. "Everyone else didn't make it. I didn't even know you were alive." The woman nodded before breaking into a sob. James couldn't move. Not without moving the woman. So he lay there while woman cried.

"I'm sorry." He repeated. He must have repeated for at least an hour when the woman decided to move and stand by the pod across from hers. James stood and stretched. He opened his mouth to talk but saw what the woman was looking at.

"Is… Is this your husband?" James asked, his voice soft.

"Yes." The woman croaked, her voice so soft it was almost wasn't even heard. She nodded. She began tugging at the door. "I need to open the door. Maybe he's alive. I need to-" James grabbed her arm.

"Stop." He ordered. She glared at him but she obeyed. James noticed a big red button on the side of the pod and pulled it. The door hissed and flew open. The woman's knees buckled and James felt compelled to catch her.

"Shh. It's okay. I'm here." He blurted. His eyes widened. _Holy shit, why did I do that?_ He asked himself. She nodded. She placed her hand on the cheek of the dead man. With her other hand she took a wedding ring off of him.

"I'll find who did this." She whispered. Once again, he voice was so soft it could barely be heard. "I promise." The woman held the ring tight and rubbed her eyes.

"Can you stand?" James asked. The woman tried to speak but couldn't find the strength. She nodded. James let go but was ready to catch her again. "I know it probably isn't the best time to tell you this, but everyone here is dead. I'm the only one alive here. I might be your only chance to survive out there." The woman rubbed the wedding ring. "I'll wait by the entrance, just go straight and there it is. Take all the time you need. I'll take you to Sanctuary and then we can talk about what to do from there, okay?" the woman nodded once more, her jet black hair covering her eyes. James walked off. The woman stood there, silent, rubbing the wedding ring. Then she pushed the tab, the door closed and she left.

James was standing by the elevator when the woman walked down the stairs.

"Hey, you ready?" James asked. The woman nodded. He too nodded. They both stepped into the elevator and felt it take them up to the surface.

"You have a name?" James asked. She looked at him funny. "Okay that came out wrong, of course you have a name how stupid of me." She almost let out a laugh. James looked at her funny. _Is this amusing to her?_

"Okay, let's start over. My name's James, and you are…?" James grinned and held out his hand. The woman was reluctant to take it for she was holding her wedding ring in it. She switched hands and shook his.

"Katherine." She whispered. James's heartbeat skipped a beat again.


	3. Sanctuary

The sun shone through the darkness and for a moment it was difficult to see. James lifted his left arm, which held his old, battered Pip-Boy up to block the sunlight. It was then that he realized that Katherine had no such device. He remembered the new model that he had pocketed earlier and handed it to her. She didn't see it. She stepped forward, saying nothing, looking out over the wasteland.

"How long has it been?" James asked after waiting a few moments.

"What?" She asked and turned her head to face him. Her dark, round eyes made him uncomfortable and he avoided her gaze.

"Uh, you were locked in that pod or cell or whatever. How long were you stuck there?"

"I… I don't know." She said once more, turning back and looking at the ruins of what once must have been a beautiful, sheltered community. "It's only felt like a few minutes since I saw the bombs go off. The fallout can't have dissipated so soon." She murmured. She fiddled with the Pip-Boy and wiped the screen. James frowned.

"Bombs?" James asked. "What do you mean? Do you mean someone attacked Sanctuary? Is that why this place is so deserted?" Katherine fastened to the Pip-Boy to her arm and the machine clicked while it turned itself on. A green flash filled the screen with activity and letters.

"Yes." She answered simply.

"Who?"

"I don't know. I'd wager the Chinese probably."

"The what?" James asked.

"The Chinese?" Katherine responded curtly she turned to him, confused look on her face. She brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "Have you been living under a rock? The country full of communists that the U.S. Army spent the last ten years fighting?"

"Um, I'm sorry but I know for a fact that there is no U.S. Army fighting whatever the hell you're talking about for however long. The United States doesn't even exist anymore. Was that pod a simulation machine?" James asked. "I mean, I remember being a couple of those, the images they show can be pretty vivid."

"No, that's not possible. The war ended just last year, we were going to celebrate it. Nate was going to the Founder's Hall for the memorial speech of the victory in China day." Katherine said. Her eyes widened. "What year is it?" James shrugged.

"Let me check." James said as he lifted his Pip-Boy up. He navigated it into the maps menu and saw the bold numbers: 2287 printed on the screen. "2287. Why? How long have you been there?" Katherine stumbled away and began to walk towards Sanctuary.

"This isn't possible." She muttered. James walked beside her.

"What isn't?" he asked. "What year was it when you entered the pod?"

"They said it was a decontamination pod. How long does that take?"

"Uh, what?"

"This can't be happening." They reached Santuary. Marie was drawing on the sidewalk with some chalk James had left in his bag. He grinned at the sight of her having fun. He'd never thought to use it on the road before. _Weird._ He thought. Codsworth "floated" to James and Katherine.

"It's all destroyed."

"As I live and breathe, Mistress Katherine!" Codsworth guffawed. "Its… it's really you!"

"Codsworth." Katherine whispered. Her eyes began to tear up again. James looked at her. _Oh shit, not again._ But she didn't cry. "You're still here." She sniffled. "What happened to the world?"

"The world, mum? Well, besides our geraniums still being the envy of Sanctuary Hills, I'm afraid things have been dreadfully dull around here." Codsworth commented. Katherine chuckled. James frowned.

"What's a geranium?" he asked. Katherine looked up at him.

"They're a type of flower." She whispered. Her voice seemed to be almost too soft to hear or hoarse as if she had a sore throat. James had to stoop forward in order to hear her for the most part.

"Things will be so much more exciting with you and sir back!" Katherine's expression changed immediately. "Where is your better half, by the by?" James put his hand on her shoulder to try to comfort her. He felt somewhat compelled to try to take care of her despite hardly knowing her. Perhaps the fact that she was a fellow vault dweller made him feel overprotective of her, similar to how he felt of many Vault 101 explorers late '77 ten years earlier.

"I'll handle this. Codsworth…" James began.

"No. He's in a better place Codsworth. They killed him." Katherine looked down at her feet once more. James sympathized with her, he too lost family and knew how hard it was to get over that.

"Mum… these things you're saying. These… terrible things… I… I believe you need a distraction. Yes! A fistraction, to calm this dire mood. Follow me into the house, mum!" Codsworth hovered back into the blue house that he had left Marie in earlier. Katherine stepped forward, but looked back at James.

"I'll be out here. With Marie. She needs someone to watch her and I think you need to do this alone. I'll just get in the way." Katherine nodded and followed Codsworth into the house. James watched her go, he felt something tugging at his heart. _What is this feeling?_ He asked himself. Then he felt an actual tugging on his fingers. He looked down and saw Marie, wearing his tunnel snakes jacket like an over-sized coat that resembled a cape when worn by Marie.

"Hey there, darling." James said in a playful tone. "How'd you sleep."

"Good. Look at my drawing!" she said. James looked over. He couldn't tell what it was supposed to be, but he was still impressed that she figured she could use chalk to write on the pavement.

"It looks nice. Wanna play tag?" He asked. Marie giggled and jumped. She tapped his leg and began to run away down the road.

"You're it!" she giggled as she ran, trailing behind the sleeves of his jacket. James smiled and jogged after her.

"It's been ages since we've had a proper family activity. Checkers. Or perhaps charades. Shaun does so love that game." Codsworth commented as Katherine entered the ruins of what was once her home. He hovered around the island and stacked up bottles and other kitchen material. As if he were cleaning for guests. Katherine picked up the folder American flag the Army had given to Nate for his service in Anchorage and Hong Kong. She hugged it close to her chest. "Is the lad… with you…?" Codsworth asked, suddenly ceasing all activity.

"No. They took him, Codsworth. Those bad men… They took him." Katherine whispered. She hugged the flag tighter and tighter.

"It's worse than I thought." Codsworth commented. Katherine placed the flag on its position on the shelf. She clambered over the sofa and fell into it. It was stiff and smelled. She groaned as she caught a glimpse of her prized holotape player. "hmm hmm. You're suffering from… hunger-induced paranoia. Not eating properly for 200 years will do that, I'm afraid." Codsworth began to hum a tune as he continued to clean the house.

"200 years." Katherine muttered and placed her hand on her forehead. "Has it really been that long?"

"A little over 210, actually." Codsworth corrected her.

"Thanks a lot, Codsworth. You really know how to make a woman feel good!" Katherine shot back. She closed her eyes. She saw Nate, a clear image, holding baby Shaun as the nukes fell behind her.

"I love you." His voice filled her ears. She began to cry again.

"That means you're two centuries late for dinner! Ha ha ha. Perhaps I can whip you up a snack? You must be famished!" Codsworth buzzed. Katherine chuckled. _Nate used make stupid jokes like that._ She found herself thinking. She sat up and hugged one of the pillows. _And now he's gone._ A little girl's laughter broke Katherine's thoughts. She looked out the window and saw James playing with her. She lauged as he gave her a piggy-back ride and ran through the street. Katherine smiled. _Nate and I would've done that with Shaun when he grew older._ She sat back down and smiled. She looked at Codsworth who continued to hum a tune as he dusted the counters.

"Codsworth. Are you okay? After all of this, I'd imagine it'd be hard to keep perspective." Katherine asked. Codsworth stopped working and paused as if he were thinking.

"Mum, quite frankly it's been just horrible! Two centuries with no one to talk to, no one to serve. I spent the first ten years trying to keep the floors waxed, but nothing gets out nuclear fallout from vinyl wood. Nothing!" Codsworth continued dusting talking as he worked. "Don't get me started about the futility of dusting a collapsed house." Katherine nodded as he continued dusting. "And the car! The car! How you polish rust?!" _You don't._ She thought.

"So how did you last this long alone? What made it all worth it to just keep living rather than shutting down?" Katherine asked. Her eyes drifted to Marie and James, whose sounds of laughter and joy drew her attentions.

"Well mum. I'd have to say it is the view of the sunrise over the horizon every morning. I always position myself in the optimal position to witness the glorious ball of fire rise up over wasteland. It always gave me hope, mum. A new beginning. A fresh start. A brand new day."

"A brand new day." Katherine repeated. She looked back at Codsworth. "I'm sorry you went through all of that Codsworth. If I had only known…"

"It's quite all right, mum."

"I'm so sorry that I never got to say goodbye."

"Your survival was of the utmost importance mum. Especially young Shaun's. You have nothing to fear." Codsworth said. His "claw/hand" reached into his body and produced a holotape.

"I do believe sir Nathan was making this for you. I believe it was to be a surprise, but given the circumstance… This day has had enough surprises, mum. I'll leave you alone." Codsworth left to clean some other part of the house. Katherine held the holotape in her palm. She pondered playing it or not.

"Hey!" James's voice startled Katherine. She hid the holotape. He strode in, Marie still on his back, flapping the oversized jacket sleeves like wings. "I have a great idea, why don't we set this place up as a settlement?"

"A settlement?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah! Like a place for people to live in and stuff. We'll fix the place up, have a small area where we grow crops, place for people to sleep. If we had the parts I might be able to set up a water purifier. It'd be great to have a place where I can do stuff without having to worry about Marie." James grinned. His white and perfect teeth astonished Katherine. _If he's someone who's lived out here, shouldn't he have bad teeth?_ Too many bad late-nite movies about the apocalypse presented themselves in Katherine's mind. She breathed in and out. They were memories of a world now gone. A world that no longer tolerated or had movies. A world without Nate.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with that." Katherine whispered. James's smile disappeared.

"Um, okay. That's cool. You lived here and stuff, but uh, I can't exactly leave Marie here with just Codsworth." James said, he shifted Marie's weight on his back while she somehow maintained her attention elsewhere. "It's not safe, and I'm not sure this place has all the basic necessities for people to survive."

"And I'm not sure that I'm willing to let random strangers into my home." Katherine responded. Katherine's eyes widedned, she knew what she said. James nodded. "I'm sorry."

"No, no I get it. We'll play it safe. We'll find some people we know are good people and let them stay here. We'll keep this place secret. Fair?" James proposed, the corner of his lip curled upwards, ready to break into a smile at a moment's notice. Katherine frowned.

"I guess." She relented. She saw the look in his eyes and once again was reminded of Nate. She felt like her heart was tugging at her. James looked up at Marie.

"You ready to get off now, little girl?" he asked. Marie nodded. He tossed her off onto the sofa. Marie giggled as she jumped off the sofa and ran into another room.

"You're really good with kids." Katherine commented. James sat down and reclined on the sofa next to her. Too close for comfort. He shrugged.

"Guess deep down, I'm just a Child-at-Heart." James flashed his toothy grin once more. Katherine smirked. She didn't know why, but she felt like she could trust this man. He really reminded her of Nate but she wasn't sure exactly what part of James reminded her of Nate. She frowned and maintained her straight posture in her seat.

"What does a settlement need?" Katherine asked. This question seemed to surprise James for his eyes widened while he leaned back in the sofa. Then he flashed that grin that made Katherine was starting to love.

"I'm glad you asked."


	4. Freedom Calls

James wiped his brow. He'd done it. He fixed the roof. _One down, whole neighborhood to go._ James carefully placed the hammer back in the red toolbox before closing it. He took a look at his work. A bit rough around the edges in most places and looked completely different from the original blue house and black tile roof. He shrugged and whisteled and he made his way down the ladder. Katherine stood by the ladder and offered to take the toolbox from him. He rejected her offer and leapt the remaining distance to the ground.

"What's that song you're whistling?" she asked him. It had been a few weeks and Katherine was finally making attempts to get to know him. James smirked and rubbed his hands on his jeans.

"Uh, just a song that used to play all time back home. Reminds of me of my Dad acutally." James admitted. He didn't know why he added in the last part. Katherine's face softened.

"What's it called? It sounds familiar but I just can't remember it."

"I think it's I don't want to set the world on fire or something." James relented. He even knew the group that sang it. It was secretly one of his favorite songs and he hated letting anyone know that he liked the simple, slow and somber tune.

"Oh, by the Ink Spots!" Katherine gasped. "Right?"

"How did you know?" James asked.

"Uh duh? I was alive during the '60s okay? When the 'oldies' revival repopularized some of the tunes of the 20th century." Katherine said matter-of-factly.

"My bad." James said.

"Personally though, I liked It's All Over much better."

"But it doesn't have the same feel!" James complained.

"That's not a good argument." Katherine rejected. James plopped the toolbox down next to the workbench made at the house that he and Marie currently occupied. In the past couple weeks, James traveled to adjacent towns and buildings to scavenge wood and parts. He made an actual bed for Marie, complete with a straw pillow fashioned by Katherine. He ran out of cloth for stuffing a second matress, but luckily Katherine found an old sleeping bag that James used. James walked into the house, where Marie reread the books and comic books that James had brought with him from the Capital.

"Hey, Uncle James." Marie said without looking up from her book.

"Hey, kiddo. Which one are you on now?"

"I'm reading 'A boy's will'" she responded. James frowned. He opened the refrigerator door and grabbed a bottle of nuka cola and milk. He poured the milk into a cup and placed it carefully on the coffee table by Marie.

"A boy's will?" James asked. "That's not one of mine."

"It's mine, actually. Robert Frost. One of the things that somehow survived at my house." Katherine said. She smiled. James found himself again transfixed with her eyes. He loved her smile and admitted that she looked beautiful when she was happy. But when she was sad…

"Robert Frost? The poet?"

"yeah. One of my favorites."

"When'd you read it?"

"I read it for pleasure while I studied for my law degree." Katherine interjected matter-of-factly. James frowned. He popped open the nuka cola bottle.

"What's a law degree?" He asked. He sipped the flat soda.

"Ew! Milk!" Marie complained.

"You know you have to drink it!"

"But it's gross!"

"I know it is! Drink!"

"No!"

"Fine!" James gave up. Marie went back to reading. Katherine kneeled beside Marie.

"Hey, you know how James is big, strong and tall?" she whispered. Marie looked up from her book and nodded. "you know how he got that way?" Marie shook her head. "Well, he drank plenty of milk."

"No, I didn't." Katherine shot him a dirty look and James backed off.

"So you want to be strong like Uncle James?"

"Yeah." Marie admitted.

"Then you have to drink your milk." Katherine said.

"Okay." Marie frowned and pouted. But she drank the milk.

"How'd you do that?" James asked, impressed.

"I just have a way with words."

"Yeah? So do I." James finished the bottle of soda. "And guns. C'mon. I promised I'd teach you how to shoot." He gestured for Katherine to follow. He walked across the street and into Katherine's house. James grabbed Charon's shotgun from the shelf and slung a hunting rifle onto his back. He took a few boxes of ammunition and walked back outside. "Codsworth! Kat and I are headed across the bridge to shoot, watch Marie!"

"Will do, sir!" Codsworth cheerfully replied.

Blam!

"I got it!" Katherine cheered.

"See? Nothing to it. Just need someone to teach you." James grinned again. "Now reload and try to hit that bottle on that chair by the Red Rocket sign."

"Are you sure no one is around?"

"Trust me. I've gone this way a hundred times, nothing around here for miles." James reassured her. He had come this way many times, nothing had ever happened. Katherine lined up the targets to her sights. She pulled the trigger, but the bottle was still there.

"Dammit!" She cursed under her breath.

"Miss. You can't miss when we're in a fire fight." James taunted. Katherine ignored him and aimed again. She pulled the trigger and the bottle shattered into a hundred different pieces. She heard a yelp after the bottle exploded.

"Did you hear that?" She asked.

"What?" James asked, stooped over. Katherine rolled her eyes. That was his way of taunting her for having such a soft voice.

"Did you hear that sound after I hit that bottle?" she asked once more. James frowned.

"No. Wanna check it out anyways?" he asked. Katherine shrugged. James pulled out his 10mm pistol. "Let's go." They walked together towards the Red Rocket Gas station. Something was growling and making sounds inside.

"Hold up." James said. He held his arm out to stop Katherine, she didn't notice so she walked into him anyways. He glared at her. "Here." He handed her his 10mm pistol and drew his shotgun. He slowly walked forward. Katherine held the pistol away from her, pointed at the ground the way James had shown her.

"I don't like the sound of this." James muttered. Katherine, though behind James, nodded in agreement as if he could see the gesture. Suddenly small mounds of dirt began to swirl around the pair. "shit. Mole rats!" James shouted. "Wait 'till they're out of the ground, then shoot!" As if on cue, one shot up and was blasted away by James. One. Two. Four. The More rats came from the ground in an instant. Katherine aimed and blasted away. One. Two. She missed and crused herself. She pulled the trigger and heard a click. She was out of round. Somehow she was wasted all of the magazine in shooting one mole rat. The last mole rat jumped at her.

"Get of the way!" James shouted. Katherine froze. She didn't know what to do. She saw the mole rat's huge yellow teeth about to chomp at her leg.

Suddenly, a brown ball of fur tackled the mole rate and ripped out chunks of its flesh. James kept the shotgun trained on the new target. Katherine blinked and reloaded. Then the brown fur ball stopped and turned around. It was a dog.

"What the hell?"

"What are you doing here?" Katherine asked. The dog skipped up to Katherine and barked, as if she were an old friend. "Where's your owner?" she asked. The dog whimpered.

"Huh. Reminds me of Dogmeat." James snickered.

"What a terrible name!" Katherine scolded him.

"Hey, that was his name before I found him, I just happened to keep it." James shrugged and flashed his white, toothy smile. Katherine smiled back at him. She was enjoying alone time with James. She petted the dog and got a good look at the gas station.

"I like this place. Maybe we could use it for something?" Katherine commented. She turned to James. He placed the shotgun on a counter and inspected the insides.

"Looks safe enough. It's also close to Sanctuary. Yeah, we could definitely use it for something." James said. "You'll just have to figure out what." He grinned again. Why he did, Katherine never knew. She didn't care. She just played with the dog. Gunfire in the distance caught James's attention. "Gunfire. Somebody might need help."

"Why don't you take the dog back. I'll check it out." He suggested. Katherine stood up.

"Oh no you don't. You promised to teach me how to shoot. What better way to learn than through an actual gun fight?"

"By not fighting. You can get hurt."

"So?"

"Katherine, this is serious."

"I know. But I need this." James thought about it for a moment. He wouldn't always be there to protect her. He conceded and slung his shotgun. He brought out the hunting rifle and handed it to Katherine. "Two rules. You stay behind me and do what I tell you." Katherine took the rifle carefully. She looked up and nodded eagerly. James smirked. She was growing on him.

"So this is what Concord looks like now." Katherine mused.

"Shh." James hushed her. The gunfire grew loaded. Glass shattered and a small explosion lit the walls of the buildings. James motioned for her to stay while he crouched forward. A man on the roof of the building fired down at a few raiders. James turned back.

"You stay here. I'll get closer and take them out."

"What do I do?" She asked him, her eyes wide, her breathing growing louder and more erratic. Adrenaline was taking over, James thought. He pressed his finger to her lips.

"Shh. Remember what I taught you. Aim and shoot." James whispered. "Just not me." He flashed a grin. Katherine punched him.

"I hate it when you do that." James didn't answer he simply took off running towards a building. He slid into cover behind an old truck. A raider ran into the street. Katherine aimed, took a breath and pulled the trigger. The man fell down and stopped moving.

"Nice one." She whispered to herself as she chambered another round. James darted out from behind the truck and caught a glimpse of a raider still on the street. He blasted a shotgun round at the man. The man dove to the ground from the gunshot. James drew his 10mm and fired twice, the man didn't get up.

"Hey you!" a voice called from above. James looked up. A strangely dressed man waved at James with his arm. "Grab that laser musket and help us out! They're almost through the door!" The man rushed back inside. James turned around and waved Katherine ahead. Katherine shouldered James rifle and turned to the dog.

"I got one!" she said. The dog barked in agreement. Katherine ran to James and was stopped by him handing her a new weapon.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Dunno. The guy called it a laser musket. Thought I'd take my rifle back." James said. Katherine nodded and let him lift the rifle by its strap off her shoulders.

"How does it work?"

"That thing sticking out the side looks like a lever. I'm guessing you crank and shoot."

"Oh." Katherine cranked it once and saw a red arc of energy shoot into the chamber. "Oh! Got it!" James nodded. He checked his rifle and kicked in the door to the museum of freedom.

James spotted two raiders and took aim immediately. He pulled the trigger and watched a raider fall backwards from his platform. The other took notice of James and fired at him. James hid behind a pillar. Katherine rushed in and fired the laser musket. The red beam of energy glanced the raider's arm causing him to duck. Katherine ducked behind another pillar and cranked the laser musket once more. She looked out the corner and saw the raider moving between pieces of cover. She saw the raider stand, she stepped out and fired. The beam cleaved the raider's head straight off his body. Katherine shuddered. She wasn't sure if she was really going to ever get used to the killing. James moved like a machine, he moved methodically through the next few hallways, always checking his corners and clearing rooms. He never let his guard down. As the pair walked up the steps to the second floor, the dog began to growl. It rushed forward and Katherine chased after it.

"Wait!" she called after it.

"Katherine, stop!" James hissed. It was too late, Katherine ran up the stairs and straight into a huge raider, at least a full head taller than her.

"uh. Hi?" she tried, but her voice failed her. The man growled and swung his rifle at her. Katherine flinched and tried to block the blow with her laser musket. She felt the blow connect with the gun and she flew backwards from the force of impact. She braced herself for collision with something when she realized someone had already caught her. James let her down gently before tackling the man into a nuka cola machine. The man shouted as the momentum of James's weight brought both men to the ground. James had his combat knife out and stabbed it into the man's ribs. He twisted it and felt the man's fist slam into his jaw. A door opened and another man walked in. Katherine fired her musket, but nothing came out. She forgot to crank it. The dog leapt at the second raider and sunk its teecth into his leg.

"Agh! Stupid dog!" the raider shouted. James slammed his fist into the man's head before finding his knife still embedded in the man's torso. James grabbed it and tore it out of the man's body before stabbing the man in the neck with it. Katherine dropped the musket and drew her 10mm. She aimed quickly and fired twice. The first round missed, but the second connected with the raider's head. The raider fell back against the door frame and slumped to the floor.

"Nice shot." James panted. He wiped his knife with his gloved hand before sheathing it. He grabbed his shotgun, which lay on the side of the room before standing up. "Are you okay?" he turned to Katherine. One of his eyes was swollen and his lip was cut.

"I'm fine." Katherine whispered. She was ashamed of herself. She'd gotten him hurt. "I'm sorry."

"Don't." James reassured her as he reloaded. "you didn't know." He tried to smile, but the blood and white teeth weren't doing it for her. Katherine grabbed her laser musket from the ground and cranked it once.

"Wanna find the others?" She asked hopefully. James nodded. They stepped over the body by the door and ran into yet another man. James had his shotgun trained at the man's chest.

"Don't move." James growled.

"Whoa, man. It's okay. I'm one of the Minutemen." The man stated matter-of-factly.

"Who?" Both James and Katherine asked in unison. They looked at one another before looking back at the man.

"What? You've never heard of the Minutemen?" he asked in disbelief. Katherine shook her head. James stayed silent. "Well whatever, c'mon. It's safer if we talk in the room over there." The man nodded in the direction of the open door behind him. James gestured for Katherine to go check it out. She strode into the room and saw a number of other people in the room.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa lady!" one of the cried. He was standing by the computer, he reached for his pistol.

"Don't you try it." Katherine growled.

"It's okay, Sturges, they're cool. Just had a rough morning." The other man's voice called from outside. James gestured for the man to walk. They entered the room, Katherine closed the door while James kept his gun trained on the man. The man put down his hands.

"Man, am I glad that you guys came when you did. We were in a real pinch."

"Glad to help." Katherine smiled. James didn't say anything. Katherine looked at him, confused.

"Well, I'll introduce myself then. I'm Preston Garvey, the last Minuteman."


	5. Wasteland Survival Guide v1

Preston looked out the window and looked back at Katherine.

"You ready?" he whispered. Katherine nodded. Really quickly she checked her hunting rifle, she went through all the steps on how to chamber a round and how to reload in her head. Even though it was in great condition she still went through the steps on how to fix the rifle if it jammed. Preston eased the door open and Katherine felt the cool breeze enter the room. Preston crouched down and slowly walked into the balcony on which he could give James some covering fire. Katherine was with Preston to do the same. She began to fidget with the pouch on her hip that contained a few stimpacks. She was worried about James. He had left a hour ago to grab a fusion core from somewhere in the museum and make his way for the power armor on the roof. Power armor. Katherine began to think of Nate.

It was a beautiful summer day, way back before Nate and her had decided to move to Boston let alone get married. Nate was stationed in San Diego where he returned from a tour in the Yangtze. She had just received word that he'd returned and she was ecstatic to see him again. She went to the base only to be told that he was of-site in some garage. They gave her the address and she drove her Corvega over to where the soldier had told her it'd be. She already saw him as she drove up into the parking lot. In a plain white T-shirt (which was soiled with grease stains and oil) and jeans, Nate was working on a suit of Power Armor. Katherine stepped out of the car and walked calmly to Nate. She had to maintain her composure, show some class. Really, she was so excited to see him that she was practically skipping every step.

He didn't even notice her as got closer and closer to him. She found a stool and just sat there behind his muscular form, watching him weld a plate of metal onto what looked like the chest of the suit. Nate's muscular form blocked her from seeing most of the armor but she was content to see Nate work. Nate lifted his welding mask and nodded at his work, he placed the blowtorch down gently on the floor next to him. Then as if he knew she were there, he turned and flashed his irresistible smile.

She smiled back and cocked her head to a side. How did he know? She wondered. Nate dropped his work gloves and wiped his hands on his jeans. He strode over to Katherine and wrapped her in a giant bear hug, one so that that Katherine found it hard to breath. She tapped his muscular arms to tell him she needed air. He let go and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Long time no see, kitten." Nate whispered.

"You know 'Kat' was just a childhood nickname right?" Katherine rolled her eyes.

"I know, still satisfying to say it now." He held out his hand to help her up off the stool. "Wanna see what I've been working on?" Katherine nodded. She always loved seeing what Nate made, they were always impressive. Nate helped to her feet and she saw it. On the chest plate of Nate's private suit of Power Armor bore the words:"Will you marry me?". Katherine began to tear up. She's been waiting for this day. She turned to Nate, who was already flashing his white teeth in a beam of pride.

"Yes."

"There!" Preston's shout brought Katherine back to reality. She saw a huge, armored individual down in the streets with the raiders. Yellow flashes of projectiles flew back and forth between the metal man and the raiders. James. Like a knight in a dying suit of armor, he carved a swath through the raiders' numbers. "Wow look at him go. At this rate we won't have any to shoot."

Good. Katherine thought to herself. Less death, less violence. Less of my humanity that I lose.

Katherine's throats began to drift back to better times. A horrendous, screeching roar brought Katherine out of her daydream. She shivered and nearly dropped her rifle. Something in the roar had knocked out all sense of bravery within her. Katherine's spine tingled just as the roar began to end.

"It's here. Just like I knew it would." An old lady murmured behind Katherine. Katherine frowned. _What's she talking about?_

"Mama Murphy!" Preston shouted. "Get back inside!" Preston moved to move Mama Murphy back into the museum. Katherine aimed her sights down the street. She saw James, clad in his rusty brownish colored suit of power armor standing upright in the middle of the street. It were as if he were frozen. She saw another man standing a few feet from James. Katherine aimed and prepared to fire on the raider. She soon realized that the man was also standing there frozen in the street. Then she saw it.

A huge reptilian monster had materialized on the street. Katherine's fear got the better of her and she lowered her rifle.

"Oh my God, it's a deathclaw." Preston whispered. Katherine felt the urge to warn James somehow. _As if he hadn't seen it already._ The deathclaw moved at a snail's pace. It must've been huge in person. Katherine took notice of the slinking up and down motion of the deathclaw's steps. She could feel her heart pounding within her chest and she wasn't even standing on the ground with it.

"James! Run!" Katherine shouted compulsively. The deathclaw snapped into action and within an instant plowed its huge claws through the raider near James. It tore through the man like paper and Katherine was no longer sure that there was anything left to indicate that the raider was indeed a man. James also slammed into action. He tossed a Molotov grenade at the ground near the deathclaw. The creature recoiled from the heat and roared. It dropped to its claws and seemed ready to charge like a bull. James vaulted over the car hood and the deathclaw followed, its horns slamming into the car and pulverizing the front half of the car. James turned and fired a burst of 5mm rounds at the deathclaw. The deathclaw swerved to the right and James ran left firing. Katherine observed his actions, he was actually mimicking its actions. Katherine lifted her rifle chambered a round and took aim. Preston stood next to her absolutely dumbfounded and held his laser musket pointed at the ground.

Katherine took aim and fired. She followed the round as if she were watching a movie, imagining its trajectory as it blasted through the air like a rocket and slammed into the deathclaw's shoulder. It stumbled slightly from the round. James jumped forward and "tackled" the deathclaw. The weight of the power armor plus the momentum from James's jump forced his shoulder into the deathclaw's chest. It flew back through a window of an old building. James tossed another Molotov cocktail and the small shop caught fire. James blasted the shop with 5mm rounds. Katherine searched for signs of movement. There was none. The smoke was not helping either. She sighed a breath of relief. It was dead. James began to reload his minigun.

The Deathclaw shot out of the window and pounced on James. Its claws dug into the power armor's joints. James dropped his minigun.

"James!" Katherine shouted. She began to fire at the deathclaw. Pocks of blood spurted out whenever her rounds collided with the reptile's skin. The deathclaw had all of its weight pressed on James. He looked pinned and unable to move. The deathclaw tried to use its horns to gore at James's head. He moved his head each time, one hand one of the deathclaw's horns to try to slow its attack. Katherine dropped the rifle and ran. She didn't know why but she had to be there. She had to be on the ground with James.

After she had left the Vault, James was there for her. With the world being the way it is, Katherine had a hard time adjusting. James with his childish antics and good heart had convinced Katherine that life was still hopeful in Boston. Even if it was slightly nuked to Hell. Katherine rushed through the museum. She didn't know what to expect. She left her rifle on the floor on the balcony. She just felt compelled to be at James's side no matter what happened. She had never felt a similar level of protectiveness before. _Not even with Nate._ She grimly thought.

Katherine shot out the doors of the museum of freedom. The deathclaw was tearing away at James's power armor. Chunks of metal flew off the armor with each blow. A arm from the suit of power armor lay at the feet of the steps to the museum. Katherine stopped, her heart pounding, she couldn't hear anything but the pounding. She could see James from where he stood. His helmet was pulverized in many places and the left side of his face was exposed and bloody. He Despite being pinned, he and armor managed to keep the deathclaw at bay. Somehow, James's personal strength, complemented by the suit kept the deathclaw from being able to move its head enough to kill him. James looked over. Katherine saw the fear in his eyes. To him, she was a rookie who knew nothing about the wasteland. That's why it took so long for the both of them to leave Sanctuary to train. He was so afraid that he'd get her killed that he wanted to make sure she was absolutely ready for it.

But a deathclaw isn't exactly a good crash course in James's purported: "Wasteland Survival Guide". James's mouth moved. He was shouting something, Katherine couldn't hear it. She walked slowly forward down the stone steps of the museum. It must've looked crazy. A small, short woman walking up to a huge reptilian creature that could've torn her through her flesh like paper.

Katherine felt her boot fall on the pavement with a small clop. The deathclaw shot its head at her direction. It growled and made a guttural sound as it studied her. It bobbed its head up and down to assess the new potential prey that had literally walked up to it. The deathclaw no longer paid any attention to James.

"No!" James shouted. He struggled under the weight of the deathclaw. "Katherine what are you doing?!" James tried to shift the claw that the deathclaw used to pin James. Its claws dug into the armor and likely into the frame because he couldn't move the bottom half of the power armor. He struggled to move the deathclaw's claw. He looked back at Katherine. Katherine was still walking to it. She seemed to be studying it. "Get back inside! I'll handle it!" James shouted. He wasn't sure if he was reassuring himself or her. James grabbed a piece of rubble next to him and slammed it into the deathclaw's claw. The deathclaw roared and brought its other claw up into the air. James closed his eyes and braced himself for what was coming.

"Stop!" Katherine's voice filled the air. James opened his eyes. To his surprise, the deathclaw was frozen. It still glared at James, but its claw stayed elevated in the air. Katherine strode to the deathclaw and James. The deathclaw continued to glare at James. For effect, James glared back. "Stop." Katherine whispered, she placed her hand on the deathclaw's arm that pinned James to the ground. James watched carefully.

The deathclaw lowered its claw and James felt the weight of the enormous creature leave like water released from a dam. The deathclaw stood upright with its head bowed to Katherine. Its growling lower in pitch, almost like a cat's purr.

"It's okay." She whispered as he patted the deathclaw's neck. James was dumbfounded. _What the hell is going on?_ This was surreal. He'd never seen anything like it. And after seeing aliens, he was sure he'd seen plenty of weird things.

The deathclaw used to head to nudge Katherine. She laughed slightly. The deathclaw then turned right and slinked down the road. James followed it with its eyes. It passed all the destruction and remains of raider that filled the streets and returned to the sewer that it came from. He turned back to Katherine. She was by his side, removing pieces of pulverized armor. She said nothing and made no attempt to look at him.

"What was that?" James asked.

"I don't know." Katherine seemed to whisper more quietly.

"What were you thinking?" he asked. She continued to avoid his gaze.

"Here." She said as she moved to remove the helmet. James lay still. She took off his helmet. James sighed a breath of relief after being freed from the metal prison that trapped him. He always hated being in suits of power armor. She looked into his eyes. James felt uncomfortable, he felt himself subconsciously try to shrink back into his armor.

"Um." He murmured. "That was dangerous." He croaked. He looked at Katherine's face and accepted that he had a crush on her. "Don't." he tried. He cleared his throat. "Don't do it again." She nodded. James nodded too subconsciously. She smirked and kissed James on the cheek.

"I'm glad you're okay." She smiled. James smiled too.

"I know."


	6. The Walk

James grunted as he on the line to start the industrial water purifier he had rigged for the community. There were six extra people living in Sanctuary and his supply of water bottles were not going to cut it.

He tugged the line again and the engine sputtered weakly. He cursed the time spent searching for it and looting parts from nearby garages and homes. He tugged it one more time and like a chainsaw it whirred to life. James began to hear the sound of water whoosh up the pipes and through the system. James turned a valve and had to wait a few seconds before a trickle of water gurgled into an empty bucket he placed there. He sighed. His work was complete. He picked up his toolbox and began to walk home.

"Hey, James." Sturges waved from a nearby house he was fixing up. James smiled and waved back. He walked onto the pavement and let the cool fall breeze pass him by. He sighed and felt content. Nowhere in the Capital Wasteland was it ever so peaceful. James began to walk again. He passed Marie drawing figures on the ground.

"Hey there, Squirt." James said as he passed.

"Hi, Uncle James!" Marie said without looking up from what she saw as a work of art. James plopped the toolbox by the workbench, which contained numerous gadgets and tools that he was working on with Sturges in their free time. James walked into his house and saw the red couch to his right. He fell into the couch and felt himself sink into the piece of furniture that he had made himself. _Why do I have to make so many things? Can't I just buy them and have it shipped here instead?_ James wondered. He stared up at the ceiling.

James closed his eyes and listened to the calm sounds of the leaves blowing in the wind. Birds making noises and people chatting as they worked. It's All Over by the Ink Spots crooning on the radio. James began to drift off into a sleep. Then he heard it. The sound of laughter. Her laughter. James opened his eyes immediately. He sat up and looked out the window.

Preston and Katherine were chatting away like there was no tomorrow. They had really hit it off in the past two days. Two days after she and James saved Preston's group and invited them to Sanctuary and all he did was ask him to do stuff that he already knew. James plopped back onto the couch.

 _Why am I so jealous of this dude?_ James wondered. _He's just talking to her._ James placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes once more. _I'm just gonna take a nap and hope it's all over when I wake up._

"Am I interrupting?" Preston's baritone voice broke James's trance. _Speak of the devil._ James cursed.

"Yeah." James murmured, eyes still closed. "Sleeping."

"Then I'll make this quick." James grunted in acknowledgement. "You're a guy who knows things."

"Yeah, so?"

"Like I mean, how to fight and stuff." James opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. "How to lead."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Well, the Minutemen are citizen soldiers and people constantly are asking for help."

"You're asking me to go help out a settlement?"

"Yeah."

"Of strangers?"

"I guess."

"Like people I don't know."

"Sure."

"For free?"

"Well, yeah. Pretty much." James groaned and sat up.

"Alright, I'll do it. Needed to look for a circuit board for the last turret anyways."

"Thanks, man. You're a lifesaver." Preston commented and then promptly left. James stood up and stretched. He slumped over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of Nuka Cola and twisted off the cap. He began to take sips of it as he went through the house gathering his belongings.

He went into his room and opened a dresser he'd repaired. Inside was his Vault 101 jumpsuit and armor pieces that Moira from Craterside Supply fashioned. He smiled slightly at the memory of his first time leaving the vault and into the wasteland. _I wonder if that's how Kat felt when she first saw the wasteland?_ James closed the drawer. In new land and territory, no one cares about Vault 101. James walked to a closet and dug out his reinforced armor from the Capital Wasteland. From what he observed wandering the area in the past two weeks, nobody had anything like it. He was going cherish it and show it off.

James threw off his white T-shirt to change and heard a slight yelp. He turned to the doorway and saw Katherine standing there. Her face was red and she was covering her eyes.

"Enjoy the view?" James smirked. "How long you been standing there?"

"Um… Just got here. Actually. Wanted to give you fresh mutfruit. Um. Here." Katherine said. She held out the bright orange fruit in one hand while the other covered her eyes. James took it and placed on his night stand.

"You could've just left it on the table." James commented. He threw on a grey t shirt and leather jacket.

"Oh yeah." Katherine said. She looked down. "I'll uh. Go now."

"Hey." James stopped her. She turned back. "Thanks." She nodded and shot out of the house. James began to put on the leather armor pieces. He walked out and grabbed his hunting rifle, he slung to his back and began to pack rounds into different magazines.

He finished packing his ammo bag in about an hour. It was close to six pm and the sun was starting to set. James yawned and turned on a lantern, the yellow orange glow lit up the living room. He hadn't connected the power to his house yet. He focused on Katherine and the other settlers having electricity before he bothered with his own house. Marie was still playing with Dogmeat outside.

James opened a can of Cram and plopped the meat onto an aluminum pan. He then plopped on top of the cooking stove in the kitchen. He walked out into the living and across the road through his window, he could see Katherine cooking dinner in her own kitchen. Marie was sitting on the floor ruffling through Dogmeat's fur while Codsworth watched over all of them. James smiled. He wanted to have a life like that. _It'd be nice to settle down one day._ James finished cooking the meat and began to cut it into cubes with a knife, the way he liked to eat it.

He began to snack on the meat and walked out into the living room. The view was the same only now Katherine sat alone at the island counter eating dinner and Preston sat next to her drinking what looked like a beer. James sighed. For whatever reason, that image saddened him. He shook the image out of his mind and checked his pip-boy clock. It was 7:30 pm. He plopped down onto the couch and decided to take a nap. He closed his eyes and the world went dark.

"Hey." A voice called out to James in the dark.

"What the hell?!" James asked, sitting up immediately hand on his pistol.

"You ready to go?" he recognized the voice.

"Kat?" he whispered. "What are you talking about?"

"I know that Preston asked you to go help out some settlement. I want to go with you."

"No." James responded, standing up and rubbing his eyes. It was so dark he could hardly see anything in the living room. _The lantern must've gone out._ "Uh, no. I need someone I trust to watch Marie."

"Codsworth can and I asked Marcy to check in."

"Marcy?" James asked incredulously. "Of all people, her?"

"She needs release, James. She lost a child."

"Yeah, but she's so mean!"

"Who cares if she's mean to you? She's not mean to Marie!" James paused and thought about it. He checked his Pip-Boy clock. It was 4:00 AM. Longer nap than he wanted.

"Fine. Let's go."

"Okay." James shook his head and turned on his Pip-Boy light. He spotted his hunting rifle and Charon's shotgun. He thought back to his old friend as he looked at it. "You got a weapon or do you need one?" James asked he turned back and saw Katherine standing clad in a red flannel shirt and jeans. Her hair tied in a bun. She was breathtaking. She had a laser musket slung behind her back and what looked like a 10mm pistol holstered in a leather holster she fashioned.

"Preston gave me more MC cells for the musket. I've got plenty."

"Cool. You need rounds for the 10mm?"

"Sure." James nodded, even thought it was too dark to see, he grabbed an ammo box and placed it on the table. Katherine opened it and began to fish through rounds that James collected while scavenging.

"How'd you manage to find all these from garages and dumps?"

"I'm good this. And I'm lucky."

"You sure are."

"I'll wait outside."

"Sure." James stumbled outside and looked up at the night stars. The only beautiful thing left in a terrible world, James thought. Except for the aliens. James shivered as he thought of his time aboard Mothership Zeta. He still hated to go up there every once in a while to check on the crew and hired scientists that were up there to study the ship in his place. He heard footsteps and turned.

"I'm ready to go now."

"Good, let's go."

James put down his Pip-Boy.

"Are we close?" Katherine asked.

"No. Bout halfway so we're making good time."

"Okay." The two continued to walk in silence, the darkness surrounding them only cut by two swaths of pale green light.

"So…" James began.

"What?"

"You and Preston?"

"Oh yeah, he's really cool."

"Sure."

"Anything else?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know…"

"What?"

"Like other stuff."

"What other stuff?" James stopped walking and turned back at Katherine.

"You know what I mean." Katherine frowned and cocked her head to a side.

"No. I don't." James sighed and turned around again.

"Whatever."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"James, I'm your friend. You can tell me anything." _Why are you putting me in this postion?_

"Sure."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"Sure."

"Ugh!" Katherine groaned. James smirked. That's how many of their conversations went. They continued walking in silence for a few more minutes. The moonlight barely enough to highlight the horizons while their Pip-Boys shined the way.

"I never thanked you for saving me from that deathclaw." James commented.

"Hmm?"

"That deathclaw. I'm pretty sure I would've died if you didn't do whatever you did."

"I know."

"Sheesh." James rolled his eyes. "Well… Thanks anyways."

"I just followed my instincts."

"But you realize your instincts told you to run straight up to one of the most dangerous creatures in the wasteland right?"

"…Yes?"

"Oh my God, you didn't even twice about it?!"

"Well, I mean, you were in trouble."

"It's a deathclaw!"

"How was I supposed to know it'd be so dangerous?"

"It's almost twice my height when I'm wearing power armor! It totaled that suit of power armor like it was cheese!" Katherine laughed. James smiled and his heart skipped a beat. He loved to hear that sound.

"Well, the important part is that you're safe now."

"Sure."

"Okay then." They had another long pause as they walked. "I never thanked you for saving me from the Vault."

"Well you don't need to."

"But it's nice to, right?"

"No, like you don't need to thank me. I didn't even know you were in there. I just heard there was some good loot there is all."

"Oh."

"I mean, I just didn't go into the vault expecting to find a lot of people."

"Okay."

"Hey." James stopped and turned to face her. Katherine looked up at him. Their eyes connected. James blinked, his heart began to pound. "uh." He turned around again. They walked again like in silence some more.

"This is gonna be a long walk." Katherine whispered aloud.


	7. Lexington

"Shh." James hushed Katherine as they neared Lexington. Katherine nodded. After weeks of hunting game with James, she'd learned that he was simply more perceptive than she was. She lowered her laser musket and crouched behind a car. James inched forward, rifle lifted up. He checked left and then right. Nothing. James was dissatisfied. He had a bad feeling about Lexington and there had to be a justification for his sense of imminent danger.

Katherine shivered. It was starting to get cold. It was in the middle of November and the leaves already all fell from whatever trees grew back after the blasts. Katherine saw her breath hang in the air and she exhaled once more to see it again. She smiled, something about being able to do that satisfied her.

A small growl in the distance caught James's attention. The corner of his lip shot up in a small smile. He was right. As usual. James slung his rifle and strode back to where Katherine hid behind the car.

"Get on the top of the car. Hurry." James whispered. Katherine nodded and began to climb. James held out his hand to help her up and thought reluctant at first, she took it. She stood on the roof of the car. The red-orange light of the sunrise silhoueted Katherin's form as James looked at her. He smiled as he brought out a strange looking box from his ammo pouch.

"Check this out." James said as he smiled. He tossed it into the intersection and the box bounced a few times before landing. Katherine waited for an explosion. Nothing happened. She waited for some kind of discharge. Nothing. A sound. Nada.

"What's it supposed to do?" Katherine asked.

"Wait for it." James said. Then they came. Hordes of gray skinned, withered "people" came running down the streets and after the box. They tore into one another and tackled everything in sight. Seemingly just to get at the box.

"What the hell are those things?!"

"Feral ghouls." James responded, his eyes never leaving the sight of the creatures tearing each other into pieces. "Nasty mothers."

"Why are they attacking each other?"

"They usually don't." James said. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But I think I finally figured out how to make 'em."

"Is it that box?" James nodded, his gaze never leaving the carnage in front of him.

"What's it do?"

"I have no idea. I found it on a deathclaw I killed at Adams Air Force Base. Tinkered with it and never got any results." He looked at Katherine. "Not 'till now." He smiled.

"This is sick."

"Well, less killing on our part." _So he does have a human side to him_. "We can cut down on our ammo expenditure immensely by using this tactic." Katherine sighed.

"Don't you think it's a little sad?" she asked. "They used to be people."

"But they're not now."

"But they used to be."

"As did raiders before they decided to take up raiding." Katherine frowned.

"I'm not sure that's the same."

"It's not."

"Then?"

"I just like to be right." Katherine glared at James. He shrugged and smiled. Katherine rolled her eyes.

"So why am I on the roof of this car if I don't have to shoot anything."

"I told you. I didn't know if it'd work. You were up there for your own safety."

"That's sweet." Katherine commented.

"What is?"

"You were looking out for me."

"No. You are simply carrying the bad with the food." _Ouch. Why so salty all of a sudden?_ "All right, I've had enough of this." James brought out a green ball from within his ammo pouch. He pressed a button and Katherine heard a high-pitched whine. James lobbed it into the mob and Katherine watched it arc through the air and straight into the middle of the frenzy.

"Wow. What an arm. You should play football?" James looked back at her. The plasma grenade exploded adding a green light to the red-orange hue of the time of day.

"What's football?"

"Nevermind." Katherine blushed. _Why is that making me blush?_ Football. Katherine thought of Nate. He used to be the star quarterback of his college team and would never stop bragging about playing and how it led to him joining the army. Katherine smiled. Those were simpler times.

"Let's move on." James said. His hand held out, ready to assist Katherine down from the roof of the car. Katherine took his hand and she leapt off the car.

The two walked through the streets of Lexington together. The creaking of metal in the distance played the soundtrack of their journey, creating a somber, lonesome mood that prevented either person from engaging in conversation.

"Uh." James started.

"Yes?"

"Is it weird coming this way?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" James rubbed his neck with one of his hands. "You were alive before the bombs. Does this bring back any memories?" Katherine looked around and thought about it.

"Yeah… I guess it does."

"What do they bring up?"

"Mostly house-searching with Nate. I was pregnant at the time with…. Shaun…."

"Oh." James said simply. He didn't say anything else. What else could he say. He reasoned. Say something, she demanded. Katherine sighed. She'd almost given up looking for Shaun. What are the odds that someone would take him and she'd be able to find him.

"We'll find him, you know."

"Hmm?"

"Shaun, your son." James said. He looked at her seriously. His dark brown eyes permeating her stoic composure. "We'll find him. Don't matter how long it'll take. Doesn't matter how many favors I have to call. We'll find him. Together." Katherine blinked. She was dumbfounded. James misinterpreted the gesture. "I mean, you know, unless you don't want me to help, I mean, you don't want me here, uh crap, no. I mean…"

"Stop." Katherine chuckled. "I get it, James. Thank you." James grinned. "Now let's go take out this Jared guy, I want to see how tough a raider named 'Jared' can be." James laughed and they continued down the road.


	8. Return Trip

"Guess he wasn't so tough." James said, he spat into a corner. Katherine cringed. It was crude and frankly a bit gross. But his faced was cut and bruised from some blows that Jared had laid on him by surprise.

"Actually, James. The correct tense would be to say he 'isn't' tough." Katherien subjected.

"Why's that?" James asked.

"He's still alive and just because you're choking him and handing him over a railing doesn't mean he's dead."

"Hmm. Well Mr. Brotch always told me I sucked at English."

"But you're always so charismatic!" Katherine commented. "You even have one of those stupid vault-tec bobbleheads for that stashed at Red Rocket."

"Hey!" James's grip grew tighter. Jared's eyes began to bulge as he chocked. He slammed his fists at James's armored arm. "Those are collectibles and are worth a lot of caps!"

"I don't care James. They're still stupid." Katherine looted through various chests. "There's nothing here. Just a stupid comic book." She grabbed it and flipped through its pages.

"Which one?" James asked. Katherine showed. "Oh man! I've always wanted to read the one, keep it and do not spoil it for me!"

"Is it my fajult that you don't read Grognack? How was I supposed to know you didn't know that he kills the dragon. He's a barbarian for God's sake!"

"I was saving that issue for a special occasion!" James lifted Jared up, who was now limp. James threw him to the floor. "That's for getting the drop on me."

"James, was that necessary?"

"No."

"Then…"

"It felt good."

"Well, can you try not to do it when I'm around?" James looked at Katherine. "It makes me feel uncomfortable." He nodded.

"I'll try."

"That's all I ask."

"There they are!" a voice shouted. James tackled Katherine into the room that Jared used as his home. They both landed on a mattress on the ground.

"Was that really necessary?" Katherine asked flustered.

"Woman, we are being shot at! C'mon!" James grabbed Katherine's hand and lifted her to her feet. He had his 10mm out, he led her to cover before jumping out from behind a column and squeezing off a few rounds.

"Agh! My arm!" a raider shouted. James ducked and numerous shots sent sparks flying around him. He ducked under a desk and hoped they weren't good enough shots to be able to hit anywhere near it. A raider ran up the steps, Katherine fired her laser musket. A red beam of energy shot from her weapon and slammed into the man's side. The man's body slammed into the wall leaving a gaping hole in his torso, his arm attached by a thread. Katherine cranked the musket twice. _Four. That's four people I've murdered._ _How many people will I have to kill to find my son?_

"I'll get you!" She squeezed the trigger. _Five._ The gunshots stopped, James rolled out of cover and stayed prone. No shots fired.

"C'mon let's go!" James hissed at Katherine, he took her hand and led her out of a door that said exit. There was a chain that prevented them from leaving. James shot the chain off and kicked the door open. More raiders waited outside.

James fired twice and two raider, who stood by a truck nearly 100 feet away, fell to the ground limp. Katherine aimed at a raider on top of a construction platform who aimed at both of them. She opened fire and missed.

"Shit." Katherine hissed. James shot a glance at her, amused. "Are you serious?!" James aimed and casually shot the man before turning to her and placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, kinda am." He said and winked. He ran down the slope and took cover behind the corner of the building. He shot out of the corner and fired at some unknown enemy. Katherine made her way down as she cranked the laser musket.

"okay, I think we're clear." James said. He looked at Katherine and shot her another one of his gourgeous smiles. "so. What'd you think?"

"About what?"

"Well, your first actual firefight."

"What are you talking about? What about Concord?"

"Concord doesn't count, I killed most of the raiders."

"And I saved you from the deathclaw."

"Which killed the rest of the raiders." He leaned closer to her. Katherine could feel his breath. "And for which I thanked you for saving me from." She backed away.

"Let's get back." Katherine muttered.

"Okay… But remember, score's still 55 to 3." James grinned. Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for taking care of those raiders."

"No problem. Just remember any more problems, just send word to the Minutemen." Katherine said as he she shook the settler's hand.

"You got it. Settlements gotta stick together for protection if you know what I mean." The settler rummaged in his pocket. He produced a cloth sack and held it out. "Y'know for protection.

"Oh that's not…"

"Don't mind if I do." James said as he swiped the pouch. "Thank you, sir. These will be used well." James began to walk east. Katherine stared at him as he left. The settler soon left as well, Katherine ran to join James.

"I cannot believe you."

"Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen. What?"

"We're supposed to be helping these people!"

"Twenty, Twenty-one, twenty-two. We are."

"But we're taking their money?!"

"Twenty-five, twenty-six. Yeah, they're helping us back."

"I thought that's not what we do."

"Shit. I lost count. Do you think you could ask them how much they put in here?"

"You're joking, James. I thought you were better than this!"

"I am. But quite simply, without caps, we can't do anything to help expland Sanctuary. We don't have enough materials for food, beds, and medicine. We cannot help other settlements if our own is not a well-established trade route."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm not taking these caps for myself, but I'm going to collect them and start a trade caravan company."

"Why?"

"So we can net a profit and be able to trade in between allied settlements."

"So you are working for profit!"

"Yes and no. We need extra funds to help fund the Minutemen. Otherwise we'll just be a poor version of the Regulators."

"I don't know who they are."

"Uh… Think cowboy policeman."

"Oh. Oh…"

"Yeah. Not good. So we need a foundation, a base camp, a headquarters."

"But why our own company, I've seen countless traveling merchants with their huge two-headed cows!"

"Katherine, get with the times. They're Brahmin."

"I don't care what they're called. Answer my question."

"If we use them, we'll have to pay an extra fee for them to make the extra trip. Trust me, it's much easier this way."

"And who's going to head this company? You?"

"No, actually I was thinking Marcy should."

"Hold on. What?"

"Well, right now she's just farming and is probably going out of her mind looking for stuff to keep her busy. Especially with her son and… Jun."

"Right. But a company? That's a huge responsibility."

"Which is why I'm giving it to Marcy and not Jun. She can handle, I'm sure of it."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"rrgh!" Katherine grunted. _He's so irritating when he thinks he's right._

"You know I'm right."

"Shut up!"

The sun was starting to set. James lowered his Pip-Boy, noting that they were approximate 200 yards away from Sanctuary. Just over the hill really. James looked at Katherine from the corner of his eye. Their friendship is quite bipolar, sometimes it means something sometimes it doesn't. It just confused him. He just had no idea how to read her.

"You ever think about your husband?"

"…"

"Yeah. I thought so. Nevermind."

"No wait. James." James turned his head to face her.

"To be honest. Not anymore, I've been thinking of someone else."

"What?"

"Yeah. And I guess that's what has been making me feel so guilty lately, I just haven't really thought about Nate all that much lately."

"wow."

"You must think I'm a terrible wife."

"Hey, out here. There's no one to judge you. I'm the least one qualified to judge. We've all done some shitty things." Katherine looked at him. He seemed serious. Sometimes she just didn't know how to read him.

"Thanks. I guess." She whispered.

"So… who do you think about?"

"Why?"

"Ub, I, uh. I mean. I just wanted to know." Katherine smirked.

"Don't worry about it."

"Oh come on."

"No seriously." They reached the top of the hill and Katherine saw Sanctuary. The sunset illuminated the entire area. People walked in between houses, farming and working on various projects as the day ended. She could spot a campfire by the huge tree in the cul-de-sac. _It's you, dummy._ She thought to herself. "Who is it?" James asked. "I want to know." Katherine looked up at James incredulously.

"What?" He asked. "Don't tell me it's Preston, cause I swear to God I-" Katherine planted a kiss on James's lips. James was a bit taller so she had to stand on the tips of her toes. She was about to stop and drop back down but James embraced her and brought her closer to him. They stayed embraced in each other for a long time after that, bathing in the blood-orange hue of the sunset.


	9. Maybe

James woke up in his bed. He overslept. It was day already. He groaned and leaned out of his bed. He stumbled into his makeshift bathrooms and uncapped a roll of toothpaste. He squeezed it and found that it was empty. He tossed it into the metal bucket he used for trash and opened the cabinet under the sink. He took out a fresh one and uncapped it. _How are there still these things after 200 years? What the hell did they put in these?_ He wondered as he began to brush his teeth. He turned the knob on the faucet and was glad to see water come out. Lately, he'd been working with Sturges on hooking up the purifier to the pipe system in place at Sanctuary. Most of the pipes were corroded after 200 years of no maintenance, but James managed to get enough for a few houses. His was the first to test their system. He checked his pip-boy as he brushed. Geiger Counter didn't go off and his rad count didn't change. James spat into the sink and smiled into the mirror. He was satisfied. He walked out into the living where Marie read a book with Codsworth.

"What's that word?" she asked the robot butler.

"I cannot say. You need to sound it out for you to be able to learn adequately how to read." Codsworth scolded.

"Fine." Marie pouted. James smirked as he made his way into the kitchen area. He pulled a slab of yao guai meat from the freezer and tossed it into the sink to thaw.

"Really, sir. Steak this early in the morning?" Codsworth asked.

"It's for later, Codsworth. I'm heading out today."

"Where to, if I may ask?"

"Place called Oberland station. High time I get going on what I was supposed to do."

"What are you supposed to do here, sir?"

"Don't worry about it, Codsworth."

"Understood, sir. I do hope you will have a successful journey. When will you be returning to us?"

"Not sure yet. I guess it'll depend on how far I have to go finish my quest." James began to think of the lengths his own father had to travel to successfully finish Project Purity. Will it also take that long for him?

"Where are you headed?"

"First, I headed south to meet Preston at some place called Starlight Drive-in. Then from there, I'm headed straight for a place called Oberland Station where I'll meet my contact. He should still be there."

"How long has he been waiting?"

"Not sure. I was supposed to meet with him weeks ago and he's a caravan trader so… I guess I don't know."

"And why have you stayed so long without finding your contact? Especially if your mission's success depends on how quickly you are able to travel throughout this wasteland."

"Well, I met Preston, Sturges, and all kinds of people. I've come to see this place as a kind of home while I'm here."

"Hmm. And Marie?"

"I've already made arrangements for her care. Katherine and a few of the other settlers will all keep an eye for her while I'm gone."

"I see. And what of her education ,sir? There are only the few you carry with you."

"Well, if I find any more while I'm traveling I'll be sure to send them to you via trade caravan, Codsworth."

"Understood, sir. I'm so glad you've entrusted this task to me. I've hardly had anything to clean or do ever since the settlement reached twenty settlers last week."

"Yeah, it's pretty exciting. I'd like for this place to grow as big as Megaton someday." James thought of his metallic home in the Wasteland. He hadn't been there since he first returned to the Capital Wasteland. _What a waste of time_. He thought. He looked out the window where he could see Preston and Sturges bring in an old repaired Radiation Long television set into Katherine's house. The positioned against the wall and exited the building quickly. They all wanted it to be surprise to Katherine when she came back from helping out some settlement called Abernathy Farms.

"Megaton, sir?" Codsworth's voice brought James back to reality.

"Hmm? Oh it's just where I came from."

"Interesting. If it's all the same to you, I think Mistress Katherine should have a say in your vision to grow this community."

"Really? Why?"

"Well, in a way, she's been living here much longer than any of you. I just think it'd be respectful to honor your elders."

"Elders" James echoed the word. He'd never thought of it until now. She really was 200 years older than James. James cringed. He didn't want to think about it.

James packed away the Yao Guai meat into a leather bag and tied it tight. He threw into his backpack and got ready to go. He packed as much Amina's he could carry and tossed in a few prewar snacks in as well. He was ready to go.

"Hey everybody, look who's back!" Preston's voice rang out. The whole settlement cheered. James stepped outside and leaned against the doorframe. Coming from the West, Katherine, with Dogmeat trailing behind her came triumphantly with a new crowd of settlers.

"You can set your stuff down there. Adam will clear a house for you all to live in." Katherine said as she dropped her pack down the ground next to the workbench. She looked up at James. He looked down at her.

"Milady." James nodded.

"Milord" Katherine curtsied.

"When are you headed out again?" James asked. Katherine shrugged.

"Not sure, what about you?"

"Gonna head out right now actually. Just waiting to say goodbye."

"Okay."

Silence. Katherine looked down at her toes, as if she had developed a keen interest with her vault issued boots. She began to walk away. James's eyes followed as she walked towards her house. _Should I?_ he wondered.

"Hey." He called after her. Halfway to her house, in the middle of the street, she turned around and brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. He tried to say something, the words didn't come out.

"Can I come with you?" she whispered. He didn't hear her. She turned back and walked to her house. His eyes followed her. Then her brown door closed.


	10. Contracted

James could hear the crunch of asphalt behind his feet. He couldn't feel it. He clunked along the road in his "borrowed" suit of power armor. It was an old T-45 suit. Jones had acquired it in the weeks of James's absence. Jones was worried and stayed in Oberland the whole time, James was helping out with odd jobs around Sanctuary. He felt bad and offered to do a few jobs for free before they both made their way to Diamond City. But this was ridiculous. James thought back to when he last spoke to Jones.

"I'm doing what?"

"You're just retrieving a targeting computer for me. That's all I need."

"For a missile launcher?"

"Precisely?"

"No big deal. I can make one for you, just get me a few parts."

"No, I need this one. I got a contract that asks for a very specific one."

"Why?"

"Beats me. But the pay's good."

"How much."

"3000."

"3000?"

"Yup."

"For a targeting computer?"

"Yup."

"They knows its just a targeting computer right?"

"Yup."

"Alright. I'll do it. But I get a cut."

"No deal."

"Then you owe me."

"Whatever you want."

"Alright, where is it?"

"The Glowing Sea."

James clambered past an old truck crashed into a tree. A skeleton lay on the hood, as if it hadn't been disturbed in the past 200 years. James huffed as he tried to move his right leg. The armor lagged whenever he put any weight on it. He hoped it wouldn't hamper him in the future.

It was lonely on the road without a companion. Since James arrived in the Commonwealth, he never left Sanctuary alone. But now, he was alone. Similar to when he first encountered the Capital Wasteland all those years ago. What he'd give to have someone to talk to. He thought of Katherine. Sarah. Lucy. Amata. All the women he'd been with at one point or another. He sighed. _This one's special._ He thought.

James's Geiger counter began to tick slowly.

"Here it is." James muttered to himself. The Sea got its name from still glowing from the amount of radiation even after 200 years. He took a short glance at the new part of the wasteland he was about to enter. The armor would prevent him from most radiation damage. He began to walk again.

The Sea reminded James of the Capital. He thought of the last time he spoke to Elder Lyons. They were walking outside the Citadel.

"Why do you help all these people, Elder Lyons?" James asked. Elder Lyons looked at James funny.

"I'd expect you of all people to understand. Especially with your father."

"I know why my father did what he did." James conceded. "And now he's dead."

"Well, I'm not."

"I understand, Elder. But I don't understand."

"What is there not to?"

"I'm sorry?"

"We are all people, regardless of where we are born." They stopped short of the water. "Regardless of who we choose to be. We can be raiders, wastelanders, settlers, merchants. Yes, even ghouls. We are all people. And people ought to be treated well."

"But does that mean we should be giving them handouts?"

"What are handouts, James?"

"Us giving them our supplies."

"And what is really ours?"

"I don't follow, Elder." Elder Lyons carefully leaned forward and scooped some water into his palm.

"What is this, James?"

"It's water."

"And why is it special now? Important?"

"It's been purified."

"Who made sure that happened?"

"My father."

"But is it his?"

"No?"

"Exactly. Your father created his invention in order to be of benefit to all who live in the Capital Wasteland. That's why I believe we, as the Brotherhood, should not charge the wastelanders for what belongs to them."

"What about the medicine you gave that last group?"

"If you had paid attention, you would have noticed that the medicine I offered was of my own monthly ration. Not from our stockpiles. I choose to do this. I will not force others to do what I do."

"And why is that, Elder?"

"Because then we are no different from the Enclave. Your father showed me that, James. And since his passing, I've hoped to be able to ensure that you understand that. I've never known how to explain to you how important it was to your father that you know that your life is yours. You shouldn't live as if you are always under his shadow. You can be whoever you want to be. However morally ambiguous you may wish to be, though I may disagree, is your choice to make. And your father always believed in that. That's why I offered him help in the first place. He understood the one thing the Brotherhood has failed too in our long history of successes."

"And what's that, Elder?"

"You'll have to learn that on your own, James. I've already told you, but you don't quite understand what I mean."

James still thought about what Elder Lyons meant then. Was it right to be good or bad? Did he have to do one thing one way, or another the other way? James had a hard time understanding a lot of the things Elder Lyons tried to teach him before James left for the Pitt.

He'd reached it. The Red Rocket Truck Stop smack dab in the middle of the Glowing Sea. James holstered his hunting rifle and clambered ahead. He pulled slabs of concrete away from the door and pulverized the ones too heavy from him to move. He tried to pull the door open but it wouldn't budge. He pried his metal fingers into a small slit in the door and pulled them apart. The door crumbled under the strain of the power armor's strength. The armor begin to beep indicating that the fusion core was running low. _Better get inside._ James thought to himself. James stepped inside and walked in. He noticed the place seemed to have been disturbed recently. There was blood on the floor and bits of powder all over the place. James drew his hunting rifle and continued to explore the gas station. He entered the station and dropped his gun.

Before him stood a full suit of black Enclave Stormtrooper armor. James was surprised to find the suit so far north and even more surprised to find a full suit. He stepped forward. He loved the suits and always regretted losing his capture one at the Citadel. He'd let the Brotherhood take it for study, but it was destroyed in the destruction of the Citadel a few months ago. James didn't think twice about exiting his suit of power armor. He climbed out and jumped to the ground, breathing in the stale air.

"Hold it." A voice grumbled as James felt a cold piece of metal pressed against his head. James cured himself for being careless. "Turn around." James held his hands up and turned slightly. He looked face to face with a man clad in Enclave uniform. The drab olive-green uniform and the crisp, black hat. No doubt about it, the man was an officer.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"You know who I am."

"I'm afraid not." The man chambered a round into what was clearly a 9mm pistol.

"Where'd you get the gun?" James asked.

"Just got here from out West."

"West?"

"Yeah, received orders to be transferred here from Chicago."

"What's a Chicago?" James asked.

"It's a…" The man thought about it. "That's classified."

"You're pretty bad for an Enclave Officer."

"Yeah, well, things've been pretty rough since our communication got wrecked by the Brotherhood and some dude." _Does he not know who I am?_

"So what's the Enclave doing here?" _And how is it still alive?_

"That's classified."

"Well you can trust me. I'm team leader of Squad Sigma."

"Squad Sigma?! No Way."

"Way."

"What's the passcode?"

"Well, I've been operating under the table for a long time to hide from the Lone Wanderer. Y'know man who single-handedly wiped out our squad."

"Who?"

"Seriously? You've never heard of the Lone Wanderer?" the man shook his head. "Man, you've got a lot of catching up to do."

"What's the passcode?"

"I told you, I've been operating under the table for a while. I'm kinda out of the loop with Enclave protocol and whatnot." The man frowned.

"I don't know. You don't seem like Enclave Material."

"Hello? Under the table? Undercover? What part of that don't you understand?"

"Hmmm. I suppose." The man rubbed his chin.

"Well, then. Enclave Officer Marcus Morales reporting for duty, sir."

"Where's the rest of your squad?"

"I'm it, sir. Only one who made the expedition. Ever since the Brotherhood destroyed Addams, it's been Hell trying to reorganize. Luckily, Chicago got a transmission from Raven Rock a couple years pack. Supposed to meet someone from Squad Sigma here."

"Well, obviously that's me."

"Well that's great, sir. What's our mission?"

"You don't know?!" James asked the man incredulously. The man shook his head. "How the hell did you manage to become an officer?"

"My CO died."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that soldier. How old are you?"

"Nineteen, sir." _Like me when I first encountered the Enclave._

"Well, our mission is to stay undercover and discover what qualities make individual settlements unite under a single flag to become a nation."

"That's stupid."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean. The Enclave already is a nation isn't it?"

"Well, we did get wrecked by the Lone Wanderer and are barely anything now."

"All due respect, sir. Stop saying that like it's something to be proud of."

"Why? I respect my enemies."

"But from what I hear, he's the one responsible for the genocide of humanity's last hope for redemption against the wasteland mutates." James held a finger out at Morales.

"First thing about undercover operations, Morales. Never say mutate ever again. They'll hate you for saying that."

"But that's what they are."

"Doesn't mean they like it."

"Whoa. Never thought about it like that."

"How did you survive this long?"

"I dunno. I kinda fainted cause I didn't have any rad protection and then I woke up here."

"How long ago was that?" Morales shrugged. James walked past the armor and discovered more blood. The trail led behind a closd door. James twisted it and discovered it was locked. He thought he heard growling sounds. _Ghouls_. James took a step back.

"Kid, get in that power armor."

"The Stormtrooper, sweet!"

"No. The other one. This baby's mine." James twisted the valve on the back of the armor and it mechanically opened up similar to older suits. But it was much smoother and without delay. James jumped in and the suit practically suealed itself to match his body perfectly. Rather than fitting like loose clothing that was the T-45, 51, and even the 60, the Enclave suit fit like a glove. Perfectly adapting itself to match its wearer. James took a deep breath and watched his visor switch between different light options. Suddenly eyeports went blue.

"Well it's certainly nice to see you again." A familiar voice filled the suit's helmet. _Not this guy._

"President Eden, what an honor."


	11. Rebuilding America

"What are you doing here?" James asked.

"I suppose the real question is what are you doing here, James?"

"Don't call me that."

"I can't really call you anything else now can I?"

"Hmm. I suppose not." James tried to talk but couldn't.

"I assume you've locked down the controls to the armor."

"Precisely, James. You know it was a mistake not to destroy me."

"I had further uses for you."

"And what were those?"

"I want to put the Enclave back together." James hoped the bluff would work.

"Really?" Eden asked, in shock. "You want to put the organization you zealously hunted down and destroyed back together. The one that killed your father and made your life miserable?"

"Yes."

"And why's that?"

"The Brotherhood's gone mad with power. Ever since I left, they've gone through some tough times leading to Maxson becoming elder."

"The boy?"

"How'd you know he was a boy?"

"He came to me once at Raven Rock. It had to have been about '81."

"While I was away…"

"Yes. He led an expedition of three Paladins and himself to Raven Rock to scavenge the place."

"What happened?"

"He found me."

"And?"

"We talked."

"Eden. The reason no one liked you in the Capital was because you pulled this kind of shit. Details, now."

"You're in no postion to make demands."

"Nor are you."

"And how's that?"

"You kill me, and I assume you can while I'm in this suit, and you're stuck with the dumbest that the Enclave has to offer. Let me live, you'll get the Lone Wanderer to back the Enclave."

"You certainly drive a hard bargain. Why do you want to lead the Enclave?"

"I've met some of you."

"Autumn?"

"No. He was a dick. I mean Harkin."

"Oh the low-level officers that left after the Project Purity ordeal."

"Yes. They joined me and created their own organization that is currently working with Rivet City to research Mothership Zeta. They're all good people and they all came from the Enclave."

"Well, yes the goal of the Enclave was to produce the highest caliber of people that the United States had to offer."

"Well, the gene pool's limited, genius. You're going to run out of people with 'perfect' DNA in a very short amount of time."

"True. I'd been hoping that Enclave scientists at Raven Rock would have broken the secrets to cloning by now, but you did manage to convince to destroy most of my own facility."

"So yeah. I want to reform the Enclave. To create something bigger and better than the old racist organization."

"We are not racist."

"You're an intelligent AI that channels all of the personalities of all previous presidents, correct?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Eject Richardson out of your database and then reason your way through your administration."

"…"

"What do you see?"

"My God. How could we have allowed this to happen?"

"Precisely. Let me reorganize the Enclave."

"Fine. I'll initiate the recall order."

"The what?"

"Done."

"Hold on, what?"

"All Enclave personnel at every remaining safehouses throughout the old continental United States have all been notified to convene at Raven Rock for a debriefing as soon as possible from their new Presidnet. I'll have to step down and acknowledge your right to rule."

"Hold on. Now?"

"Yes. You must return to the Capital immediately, I'll organize a vertibrid for extraction immediately."

"Hold on, no." James stopped Eden.

"What?"

"I have unfinished business here. I have questions that need to be answered."

"But your people…."

"Can wait. You don't have to step down immediately. Do you have files on Alexander Hamilton?"

"Does the Enclave have the whole library of Congress on holotape, of course I do."

"Access him and integrate his personality into your algorithm."

"Done."

"Now overhaul the system and prepare it for the time that I need them in the Commonwealth."

"The Commonwealth? Why here?"

"I have a feeling that what I saw at the Pitt is not going to be an isolated incident with the Brotherhood. I want to have an opposition force ready to oppose them."

"What about officers to serve as your lieutenants? The current Enclave personnel will not understand our agenda."

"Send out Eyebots to looks for Butch and the Lyons Pride. They should be headquartered at Tenpenny Tower."

"That sinkhole of moral ambiguity? I thought you professed to be a good person."

"I bought the place and changed some rules. It's a classy institution now."

"It was technically classy before, just anti-ghoul."

"Y'know for an AI, you sure know a lot about the Capital."

"I've been doing a lot of talking to Three Dog. Ever since Maxson found me at Raven Rock."

"Right. I need answers about that."

"He had his Scribes insert some sort of program into my matrix and logic system. I was unable to resist any attempts from him to force information from me. I became a 'Yes Man' of sorts, a slave to his bidding."

"So that's why you're so willing to answer a lot of my questions now."

"Sadly, yes. But with you I think I can let myself believe that you want to do good."

"Your belief is correct. Now back to Maxson."

"Of course. He asked me to reveal the locations of all Enclave safehouses in the Capital Wasteland. The only one remaining after your crusade against them was the one in Addams Air Force Base."

"That's where the Enclave stored their vertibirds and T-60 suits."

"Precisely."

"So firepower came from you, what else."

"He asked me what were the odds of success if the Brotherhood pursued its current course of action."

"The Lyons Doctrine?"

"Yes."

"What did you say?"

"10% of military success if the Lyons doctrine were to be the dominant strategy for the Brotherhood to 'reclaim' the wasteland. Interestingly, in trying to reform and rebuild the Brotherhood, your friend, Maxson made them into the Enclave."

"Yeah, laugh it up."

"Then he asked me to tell him the history of the Enclave. Battle strategies, manuals on how to repair and manufacture vertibirds. Everything that the Enclave knew, he now knows."

"Hmm. But he has no records of any of these things?"

"Correct."

"Why not?"

"Sqaud Sigma, the remnants after you massacred them, arrived to extract me. I had set up a distress beacon as soon as Maxson arrived. One member managed to insert the holotape that includes everything that makes me well me, into his armor. The one you are currently wearing."

"How can you still set up beacons and such?"

"This was the personal power armor of Colonel Autumn. It was a command variant designed to do the basics of what the Mobile Crawler could. Now without the crawler, however, most functions are very rudimentary. We need a huge beacon to be able to get my message across the entire country to all members of the Enclave."

"Mm. I think I have a plan for that. But first what happened to the man who wore this armor? Why was it just sitting here?"

"He died."

"Oh what?"

"I don't know. I was shut down for a period of time and he was nowhere to be found."

"So how do you know he's dead?"

"I have detected movement patterns suggesting ghould activity for some time now. When you reactivated me, I have once again detected the same readings. I am sure that without the armor, Officer Kendall died."

"But you don't know that for sure?"

"No."

"Then let's find out. Unlock the suit."

"Done." James felt the armor whir and shift to life. Morales stood solemnly next to James.

"Whoa, I've never worn one of these things before. This is cool."

"Morales, can it. Ready your weapon." Morales picked up a plasma rifle from the top of a wooden crate. "You ever fire one of those before?"

"Nope."

"Eh, you'll figure it out. Point and shoot, alright? I'm gonna break down the door and we're gonna clear this place out, understand?"

"Yes, sir." And James knew from that moment. He'd make a great Enclave Commander.


	12. Diamond City Skirmish

Katherine climbed over the bridge that separated the suburbs from Boston itself. She stood over the wreckage of the Riptide. Raiders, dead at her feet, one even clad in power armor. Katherine quickly cleaned a wound with bottled water she brought in her pack and wrapped it with some cloth. She grabbed her laser musket and stepped over the Raiders' bodies. She slid down a part of the hull and made her way towards the heart of Boston. _Was it even called Boston now?_

She could no longer wait for James. He'd been gone for three days and she needed to get along with looking for Shaun. Deep down, she held some doubts about ever being able to find her son, but she'd heard of a detective in Diamond City and how he may have some leads.

Katherine reached the roads and looked up at some of the riverside stone buildings that were modeled after colonial architecture and then saw them contrasted to the metallic high rises typical of American cities before the bombs fell. Most of them still stood the way Katherine remembered them the last time she drove into Boston with Nate. She sighed. That life was over now. Katherine continued walking down the street. It was eerily quiet. No sounds. Nobody moving. Nothing. It was surreal compared to the small, gated community that James built with some help from Preston and Sturges. Sturges may know how to fix things up better than James and Preston knows how to set up defesnes and what-not, but the real reason most people came was because of James.

"Hi. My name is James." James's voice came from over the radio. _Huh, usually that's just by Sanctuary. Why this far out?_ She'd been listening to Diamond City Radio to get a feel of the city. It had a pretty good selection from what she'd heard. "Like many of you out there in the cold, dark Wastelander, I'm just a survivor. And the one thing I've always wanted? A home. Come on by the Red Rocket Station just North of Concord and we'll see about getting you into a safe, guarded community. But don't just take my word for it, say hi to Preston Garvey, leader of the Minutemen."

"Uh, just a Minuteman, actually. Not really the leader."

"See that folks? An honest and humble man vigilantly watching over us while we sleep. Who could ask for a better deal?"

"Uncle James?" Marie's voice came stopped James.

"What is it darling? I'm recording."

"I just wanted to say hi."

"Then say hi."

"HI!" Both of their voices cried out in a sing-songy manner.

"That's we have time for, folks. Hope you come on by Red Rocket Concord and we might just get you the Sanctuary you deserve to live in." Katherine could imagine James's smile as he said that. Something about that man just made him so charismatic. He could really turn on the charm like an on/off switch and be really persuasive at times. Other times, he's a cold, brooding person that never seems to want anybody else's help, let alone attention. He was strange, he was lonely but didn't want to be.

"Why do you have to be so much like Nate?" Katherine wondered aloud. She passed a machinegun turret. A good sign, Preston had told her that turrets meant Diamond City security. A man strolled past her without shooting. Another good sign.

"Hi, excuse me?" Katherine asked.

"Huh?" the man asked. "Whoa, lady. Excuse me I didn't see ya."

"Oh yeah, could you point in the right direction of Diamond City?"

"Just follow the signs, you're almost there."

"Thanks!" Katherine responded. She began to walk faster. She was excited, outside of a few small settlements and Sanctuary, Diamond City was going to be the biggest settlement she'd ever been to. _I wonder if it's actually like a real city._

Katherine reached the entrance. _It's Fenway Park. Just how I remember it. Plus some armed guards._ Katherine looked up at the old stadium. It hadn't changed much. It creaked a lot more than she remembered though. The doors were closed with only a few men patrolling outside and a woman yelling at an intercom box.

"Dammit, Danny. Let me in!" she shouted. Katherine was about to go walk to the intercom as well when someone grabbed her shoulder.

"Katherine?" James's voice's buzzed from a helmet. Before she turned she guessed he was wearing power armor. She turned and faced a terrible, black faced monster. She yelped. James took off his helmet. "Whoa, hey, it's me."

"What is that?"

"It's a suit of power armor I found while working for Jones. He's right behind me. I just got here."

"That's cool." Katherine commented. Without power armor, James almost stood a head taller than Katherine but with it, he towered over her. Katherine practically straind her neck trying to look up at him.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing?" James chuckled.

"Uh, yeah. Looking for some leads, maybe some work. Really looking for a guy named Nick Valentine."

"Oh really? That's who I'm looking for too!"

"Oh wow, what a coincidence!" James's smile disappeared in a flash. "Is it about your son?" Katherine nodded solemly. James frowned and nodded slowly.

"You want help, or you want me to go with you?"

"Only if you want to." She responded.

"Well, I asked if you wanted me to."

"And I said only if you want to." James frowned. An explosion broke the silence between them.

"Get behind me." James ordered. Katherine looked at him. He didn't usually give her order. James seemed to press his index finger to one of the "ears" on his helmet.

"Morales, what's going on?"

"Super mutant attack on the caravan!" Morales shouted. James could hear laser fire and gunfire. "C'mon you bastards!"

"Morales, I need you to focus. Get them to safety, I'm on my way." James ordered. He looked back at Katherine. "If you want to come, stay behind cover and be careful." Katherine cranked her laser musket twice and nodded. James took off running, the ground shaking with every step. Katherine had never seen this type of power armor before and she thought she had seen Nate wear every one that the US Army had. She watched it move fluidly and unlike a machine. It was much more organic and natural than the ones Nate had worn. This one also seemed more form-fitting and comfortable. Katherine was interested, she'd always wanted to wear a suit of power armor.

James arrived and watched a merchant be snatched up in the jaws of a mutant hound. The hound shook its head left and right, flailing the merchant's body before throwing him away like a piece of trash. James fired his hunting rifle and watched the hound drop. He chambered another round and watched a Brahmin collapse under its own weight from all the bullets it had absorbed.

Jones, clad in his yellow Red Racer jumpsuit and mismatched pieces of combat armor took cover behind a truck. Morales, still in the T-45, guarded more Brahmin and two other merchants. James checked on the merchant he had seen earlier and concluded the man was too far gone to be helped. He drew his 10mm and squeezed off a few rounds at the green humanoids off in the distance. A horn blew and James watched a flood of hounds run towards James position.

James drew a Molotov cocktail and lobbed it high into the air. He aimed and fired his pistol, the explosive detaonated in the air and showered glass and fire on the hounds. It slowed them down and James began to take shots at them with his hunting rifle.

Katherine ran into the street and blasted an arc of red energy straight into one of the towering mutants. The mutant fell backwards, clutching his chest. Katherine hid behind James and cranked her musket twice. James blasted away with his hunting rifle, the hounds were all dead. He felt a round glance his shoulder.

"Katherine, I need you to get to cover, now."

"I'm fine where I am!" she shouted. She rolled out from her cover behind James and lobbed what James recognized as a pulse grenade. It flew into the mutants general, bounced twice before detonating near a car. The car caught fire, Katherine saw it and blasted it with her musket. The car exploded and vaporized most of the mutants. James turned to her and back to the explosion she had produced in five seconds.

James reloaded his hunting rifle and felt the shaking of the ground beneath his feet. _Oh no. Not now._

"Get back, get back now." James warned. Katherine stood up and looked at James.

"What? Why? We're winning." James slung his hunting rifle and drew his shotgun.

"No we're not. Just go back there, now." James shouted. Katherine reluctantly retreated to the firing lines several merchants constructed. "Behemoth!" James shouted. He tossed two frag mines before retreating back to the firing line as well. The green giant lumbered onto the straight from an unseen corner and bellowed a loud roar that made Katherine's ears ring. James, with the pistol in his right hand fired at the behemoth a few times. "Alright everybody, don't fire until I tell you." The behemoth roared and slammed its fire hydrant club on the ground a few times.

"Oh. My. God." Katherine whispered. Her eyes wide, she cranked her musket to its maximum capacity. The behemoth began to charge.

"Hold it!" James shouted. The frag mines detonated, causing the behemoth to stumble. "Now!" he shouted, but a before he could fire a round another roar defeaned his order.

"What the hell is that?" a merchant cried.

"Deathclaw!" Morales shouted. James turned and watched the beige creature slink its way towards the firing line from behind it.

"Get out of the way!" James shouted he shoved a few merchants out of the way of the charging deathclaw. James planted his feet in the ground and waited for the deathclaw to ram him with its horns.

The deathclaw roared and used its claw to knock James out of the way. Katherine ducked under one of its flailing claws as it passed her and all of the merchants. She looked up and noticed a brown stripe pattern that she thought was familiar. The deathclaw sank into the ground on all fours before springing up and shoving its claws into the super mutant behemoth.

"James, it's the one from Concord!" Katherine shouted. James sat up dazed from what just happened. He watched the surreal setting unfold before him. The deathclaw slashed at the behemoth while the behemoth punched at the deathclaw. It was seemingly defeding the merchants. But why? The deathclaw speared one of the behemoth's legs and it responded by plowing it into a nearby building with its hydrant club. The deathclaw seemed to get buried by the bricks and rubble. The behemoth lifted its hydrant club high into the air when the deathclaw sprang out of the rubble and sank its teeth into the behemoth's neck.

Katherine rushed forward and took aim at the behemoth's speared leg. She fired at it and the behemoth fell onto that knee. The deathclaww got the upper hand and sank its free claw through the behemoth's chest showering the merchants in blood. James had managed to get in front of Katherine, blocking most of the blood shower. The behemoth sank to both knees with a low groan before slumping to its side on the road. The deathclaw sharpened both of its claws and roared. James stood in front of Katherine with his shotgun aimed in between its eyes.

"James, no."

"What?"

"It saved us."

"It's a deathclaw."

"It's smarter that the ones you're used to killing."

"But hear my words, Kat. It. Is. A. Deathclaw." Katherine ignored and slowly walked up to the reptilian creature. It licked its wounds the way a dog does its own. The sight sickened James. _I had no idea it could do that._ The deathclaw growled and Katherine slowly placed her musket on the ground.

"See. No weapons." She said soothingly. James lowered his shogun. The deathclaw seemed to drop its guard. It moved its head left and right as if it were studying her. It made the same growling/purring noise that freaked out James. Katherine walked up and held her hand out to it. The deathclaw dropped to all fours.

"Katherine." James warned. The deathclaw lowered its head and Katherine placed her hand on its forehead. It "purred" once more.

"This is really freaking me out." James said as he slung his shotgun. The deathclaw began to nudge Katherine with its head softly. _Is it playing?_ James had to fight every one of his conditioned insticts to run in order to stay so close to the dangerous animal. Katherine began to play with Deathclaw the way she played with Dogmeat. She turned back at James.

"Can I keep it?"


	13. Detective Work

James stood idly by the glowing red sign that read: "Valentine's Detective Agency." Katherine stood in front of him seemingly content with waiting. James fought the urge to tap his foot.

"How long are we supposed to wait?" James asked, through gritted teeth.

"Until the agency opens." Katherine responded. She exhibited no signs of impatience or being irritated.

"Why?"

"That's how stores work right? That's what we did before the war." Katherine responded without looking back at James. James looked forward to try to occupy his idle mind. Morales played tag with a few of the kids in the city. It was surreal, he said he was nineteen but barely looked older than fifteen. Old enough for the kids here to think he too was a kid.

"We don't really wait outside the place."

"Why not?"

"… Because that's how it works?"

"It's that a bit rude and inconsiderate?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you know that the shopkeep is ready for you?"

"How do you know they're not available?"

"I don't. So I wait for them to tell me they are." James thought about it. Now all the skeletons that lay in neat columns outside buildings made sense. "So you just wait?"

"Yup."

"Hmm." James half-growled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I know you make that sound when you're irrated."

"I am."

"At what?"

"Nothing."

"…" James continued to look around for other things to occupy his idle mind. He could hear the calls of the various vendors in the Diamond City Market. "Man, you sound just like a girl."

"Whatever." James muttered. A man passed by, staring at both Katherine and James and gave a small chuckle. "They're judging us." James muttered in a sing-songy tone.

"I don't care." Katherine responded in a similar tone. "Besides, don't you think it's nice to just spend some alone time together?"

"Uh…"

"Hmm?" James thought back to the kiss on the hill. "I thought…"

"Oh look, the sign's been lit, that means it's open. Come on!" Katherine commented before striding into the office. James sighed and tried to follow her while clad in power armor. He ducked under the door and came face to face with a woman.

"Oh my!" The woman yelped.

"Oh." James realized the armor's frightening appearance and took off his helmet. "Sorry, ma'am." Katherine was already seated in a red plush chair in front of James.

"It's okay. My name's Ellie."

"Good morning, Ellie!" Katherine beamed. Both James and Ellie gave Katherine a strange look. Katherine looked at both of them confused.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. James shrugged.

"No, no. Nothing." Ellie commented. She dropped a small cloth sack by the desk and walked briskly to a file cabinet behind her. "It's interesting. You two actually followed Agency Etiquette."

"Agency what?" James asked.

"Y'know. Actually waiting for the store to open instead of barging in whenever it's convenient for you."

"Oh…" James said. "That… thing." Katherine smiled smugly at James. James rolled his eyes.

"So what can I do you for?" Ellie asked. James frowned. The woman was hiding something, despite her friendly demeanor, something was off.

"Well, I-" Katherine began.

"The question isn't what you can do for us, but what we can do for you?" James butt in. He gave a quick glance at Katherine, who still had her mouth open from getting ready to talk.

"What? How did you know?"

"The question is, how didn't we?" James reassured her. Bluffing was his main strategy in getting information. According to a SPECIAL test he took a long time ago his charisma was a 10 so, he liked to test whether or not the test was actually accurate.

"Wow. I never met anyone as well informed as you. Well.. except for…." Ellie started.

"A certain someone?" James's voice trailed off.

"Exactly! It's Nick! Nick's missing! How did you know?" Ellie asked in astonishment. James flashed what he called his signature grin as Katherine rolled her eyes.

"I just do." James said in a low voice. The door opened and a woman in a red trench coat barged in.

"Whoa, Ellie. Nicky's gone missing? What happened?" the woman asked. Her eyes flitted between both James and Katherine multiple times before settling on Ellie.

"Um… Who are you?" James asked.

"People call me Piper." She said as she took off her hat and gave a short curtsy. She was ill balanced so she almost tripped on nothing. She fixed her hair before pressing her hat back on her crown. "And you can call me… Piper?"

"Piper with a question mark." James asked. "You're not sure what you'd like me to call you?"

"And what if I'm not?" she responded.

"Then I'd wonder what are you doing here and how soon can you leave?"

"Whoa, whoa. Okay." Katherine stood up. "Sorry Piper, he's a little sarcastic sometimes."

"Sometimes?" James asked, an eyebrow raised and a smile forming on his lips. Katherine shot James a dirty look. James shrugged. "I think we started off on the wrong foot." She held out her hand to Piper. "My name's Katherine. Nice to meet you Piper." Piper reluctantly took Katherine's hand, making a funny face as she did. _Is it me or is she blushing?_ James thought.

"Whoo. Is it me or is it getting hot in here?" Piper laughed awkwardly. James made a funny face. Piper saw it, and froze slightly.

"Oh yeah. I'll get the fan." Ellie said and rushed to turn on a few desk fans found throughout the office. Ellie returned with a fan as Piper took James's seat next to Katherine. James leaned against the wall, his power armor humming as it took on a new shape.

"So your friend Nick is missing?" Katherine asked.

"He's not just a friend." Ellie responded wiping her eyes.

"Wow, Ellie I had no idea you'd finally done it." Piper said.

"Done what?" Ellie asked as she brought out a manila folder and plopped it on the desk.

"Y'know. You and Nick?" Piper grumbled.

"Yeah. We're partners." Ellie said.

"Congratulations, I mean, Ellie!"

"Oh no not like that. Business partners and really good friends."

"Oh.." Piper said. "So anways, Nick's missing?"

"Wow, you're like the worst." James chuckled.

"Oh yeah? Well just for that I'm gonna go look for him!" Piper jumped out of her seat and stormed out the door. James stood and held up five fingers to Katherine. He slowly curled a finger into a fist. One by one. Four. Three. Two. One.

Piper stormed back into the room with a huff. "Where'd you say he was again Ellie?"

"I haven't…." Ellie said. Holding back a smile. James snickered and Katherine shot him another dirty look. Piper sat back down, slightly embarrassed. She tugged at her cap and hid her face behind it the best she could.

"So what did happen to Nick?"

"Like you and James figured out, he went missing. I told him to go snooping around there but like always he didn't listen to me. He just walked out like he always did. A tug at his coat, small smile and nod with his hat before finally leaving. He does that every single time." Ellie sighed.

"Okay. How long as he been gone?" James asked.

"About two weeks now." Ellie said.

"All right. Where did he go?"

"Vault 114."

"Can you mark it on my map?" James asked holding out his Pip-Boy. Ellie was slightly startled and clearly not used to seeing one. She marked it with a tap of her finger. James looked at the location. "Hmm. Close enough. We'll have him back in a day or two. Now let's discuss payment." Katherine looked back at him. "Fine. I'll do you a solid. This will be free-of-charge." Katherine beamed at him and James rolled his eyes.

"Would you like to join us, Piper?" Katherine asked. Piper looked up at her. She smiled and nodded. Katherine gestured for Piper to follow and the two walked out the door. James frowned and turned back to Ellie.

"We'll discuss payment when we get back. Separate from those two." James said. Ellie nodded before James turned and walked back out into the green metal city.


	14. Finding Nick Valentine

James felt his face smash into the inside of his helmet from the force of the explosion. Alarms as well as his ears rang as he struggled to regain his balance and composure. The lights in his helmet's eyeports flickered on and off. The night vision was shot. He turned them off with a few blinks and saw the red baseball bat fly towards his face. James still flinched despite knowing that the bat would not do anything to him while he was in the suit. James took the hit and closed in on the short distance between him and his attacker. He swatted the bat away and closed his grip around the woman's small neck.

"Malone!" James shouted. He saw the fat, pudgy gangster poke his head out from behind cover.

"Darla!" Skinny Malone fixed his submachine gun on James. "Let her go now."

"C'mon Skinny, you know that peashooter's not gonna do the trick against power armor like that." Nick Valentine's voice called out from behind a column. "Just let us go and we'll leave you alone, c'mon Skinny. For old times sake."

"It was for old time's sake that I kept you alive Nicky!" Skinny Malone shouted. "But your friends come here. Tear up my place. Kill my men. Attack my girl!" Skinny Malone chambered a round into his weapon. James lifted up Charon's shotgun with his left hand. He aimed right for "Skinny" Malone's fat torso. He quickly remembered how Charon had trained him to be ambidextrous with firearms and was saddened to remember the demise of his friend. "That just ain't gonna fly, Nicky. Your friend's gonna pay."

"Bring it, fatty." James taunted. Darla smacked at James's arm in a futile attempt to escape his grasp.

Katherine cranked her laser musket as she sneaked by two of Skinny Malone's triggermen. She unsheated her combat knife from its sheath in her belt and she grabbed one of the men. Stabbing him numerous tiems in the neck as she covered his mouth. She dragged the body back. James was surprised that she would resort to killing so quickly. Piper followed Katherine, 10mm drawn.

"Wow. Blue. I didn't know you were so good at the wastelander stuff." Piper whispered.

"Blue?"

"Y'know. Vault suit?"

"But James wears one? Why don't you call him blue?"

"He's from a vault too?! Wow. Two blues?!" Katherine rolled her eyes. She crawled up behind a small container and nodded at James. James smiled. He knew just what to do.

"Skinny, look around. You're surrounded." James told him. Darla continued to struggle in James's grasp.

"Hah! You're the one that's surrounded and that pulse grenade I threw earlier seems to be doing the trick. You're armor looks like it's just about ready to bust. How long do you think it'll take 4 people to take you out?" Nick stepped out from behind the column lighting a cigarette. James looked at him funny. _Either you're the dumbest bot I've ever met or the classiest_. He remarked to himself. Nick flicked the match away and puffed on his cigarette and placed his hands in his coat pockets. Malone shifted his aim to Valentine, to which Valentine shrugged off. Katherine shot out of the container she was using as cover and Piper followed. The red glow and hum from the musket let James know that it was fully charged to the maximum three cranks that Katherine could currently achieve.

"Yeah. Skinny. Four guys against one." Valentine said. He continued to puff on his cigarette as he took a step towards Skinny Malone. Skinny backed up a step.

"Don't you do it, Nicky." He sputtered as he panicked. Nick took another step.

"Or what, Skinny? You gonna shoot me?" Valentine asked, he held his hands out and basically offered Skinny a free shot at his torso. Skinny Malone took more steps back.

"Hey, Kat. Is that thing still out there?" James asked noting that Skinny Malone was very close to the entrance of the vault. James could hear gunfire and screams.

"Uh… I don't know?" She shrugged smiling slightly.

"Hey, Skinny. You don't want to do that."

"Do what?" Nick asked. Skinny shot a burst from his submachinegun, the blast caught Nick in the arm, causing from green liquid to spurt from his arm. "Gah!" he shouted as he fell to ground. Katherine fired. The laser cleaved the submachinegun in half. Skinny dashed out of the vault. James let Darla go.

"Skinny!" she shouted as she followed him out of the vault. James didn't want to imagine what they'd do when they found out that Katherine's pet deathclaw lay in wait outside. James rested the shotgun on his shoulder as he made his to Nick. Katherine turned him over and James could see the exit wounds on Nick's chest, green fluid spilling out slightly. The majority of the damage came from a large hole in his arm. James exited his power armor and leapt out of it, feeling the fresh air once more. He knelt by Nick and took out a doctor's bag. He opened it and began to get to work to closing the "wounds". He was unsure if first aid on a synth would be the same as a human but James did his best. He closed the wounds and bandaged Nick. All the while, Nick's blue eyes mechanically analyzed James's actions and movements.

"You're a doctor?" Nick asked finally after a few minutes. Nick rested his head on Katherin's lap as James worked. James shook his head and he used his chin to hold a piece of guaze.

"My father was a doctor. In the vault I was assigned to be his assistant and I picked up a few basic things. Then I eventually left the vault and had to figure everything else out on my own. I never got any formal training. Just read some old medical journals and learned things through trial and error." James said as he pressed the bandage onto Nick's arm. He began to wrap it with a piece of cloth.

"If your dad's a doctor why didn't you ask him to train you formally?" Katherine asked. James did not look up from his "patient" while he continued to wrap the arm.

"He died before I could ask him."

"Oh." Piper and Katherine said in unison.

"How- How old were you?" Piper asked. James used a pair of scissors to cut the cloth.

"Nineteen. That was ten years ago."

"I'm sorry…" Katherine muttered. "I didn't know. You never talk about your family."

"It's not your fault. How's your arm?" James asked. Nick tried moving it and let his mechanical fingers flex and unflex.

"It still works. I assume that's a good sign." Nick said. "Thanks, doc." James smiled wiped his hands on his jeans before offering a hand to help Nick up. Nick took it and James pulled Nick to his feet. "So not that I enjoy the reverse damsel-in-distress scenario," Nick said looking at Katherine "but what are you two doing here?"

"Ellie sent us." James said as he put away the things back into his doctor's bag. He stowed it away and stepped back into the power armor.

"Ellie huh? God bless her, she deserves a raise." Nick said. "So what do you two need from me?"

"How did you know we needed something from you?" Katherine asked.

"Well, he is a detective." Piper said. James heard a roar echo in the subway tunnel.

"Maybe this is the wrong place for this discussion. How about we get back to the agency first?" James asked.

"Sure. Lead the way?" Nick asked.

"You lead. We'll follow." Katherine said. Nick nodded, he relit his cigarette and walked out of the vault with Piper. James began to walk as well. Katherine grabbed the power armor's arm. James turned back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"I know. You already said that. I try to avoid talking about it."

"But you don't need to anymore. You can talk to me. You know that right?" Katherine stared back at herself in the cold, dead, yellow eyes of the helmet. James didn't respond.

"Holy hell, Deathclaw!" Nick's voice called out. James looked and caught the glimphse of Nick reaching for his pistol as the deathclaw sharpened its claws.

"C'mon. We'll talk later. They need us." James said before continuing out of the vault. Katheirne looked down at her laser musket. She looked back up at the back of James's power armor.

"Yeah…" She muttered to herself before following him.


	15. The House

James inspected the armor carefully before reaching for a sponge from the bucket with a solution of abraxo cleaner and water. He sloshed it around in the water before taking it and splashing the solution on the power armor. He had just wasted almost 500 caps for the materials to fix the Mark II Advanced Power Armor from the Enclave and didn't have the caps to hire another person to clean it for him. He began to scrub off the blood caked on the power armor after the close quarters fight with the Triggermen at Vault 114.

"So how was life in the vault, blue?" Piper asked, she stood next to him pen and paper in hand. She seemed to want to capitalize on James's ability to talk.

"No comment." James said without looking away from the power armor. "And don't call me blue."

"Fine." Piper relented. "Where'd you come from, blue?"

"I told you not to call me blue."

"You didn't answer my question."

"If I answer will you stop asking me questions?"

"We'll see."

"The Capital Wasteland."

"Wow all the way from there?"

"Yeah, you ever been?"

"Nah, never been down that far. Gotten lots of interviews of traders that came from down south. Lots of them talked about the place. And…" she began. "one Lone Wanderer."

"Doesn't exist."

"Well, the wastelanders seem to think so. There has to be some truth to this 'legend' of the Capital Wasteland."

"There isn't. Trust me."

"Why should I?" Piper continued scribbling. James rolled his eyes.

"Because I know." He stood up from where he was crouched and inspected his work. Quickly he ejected the fusion core from the armor and stashed it in his pack.

"C'mon Blue gimme details." Piper whined.

"First of all, don't call me blue." James said while he wiped his hands with a rag. "Second, I need a drink." James walked briskly towards power noodles and noticed Katherine walking with Nick.

"Oh, hey James." Katherine said. The look on her face indicated that she was upset by something. But James decided asking what was wrong in front of Piper may not have been the best idea.

"Hey Kat." James said, he continued to try to wipe the grease and oil off of his hands. "Nick."

"James." Nick responded, another lit cigarette in his synthetic hand.

"How'd the talk go?" James asked.

"I'll go wait by the house, see if I can get in." Nick said before shuffling away quickly. James frowned. Nick was acting strangely.

"Okay, Nick." Katherine said. She looked up at James.

"What's up?" He asked, giving her a small smile.

"We might have a lead on who took my boy." She whispered as if she didn't want anyone else to know. As if the noise of the Diamond City market would have allowed for any eavesdropper to actual hear. James gestured for her to follow him into a small alcove between buildings.

"Really? That's great news. Who's the perp?"

"His name is Kellogg."

"Like the cereal?" James asked. Katherine gave a small laugh.

"No. That's his actual name. Have you ever heard of him?"

"Never." James said as he frowned. "I've been to a lot of places, but I never stayed for long."

"Okay." Katherine said softly.

"Why?"

"Nick took you for a merc and wondered if you had maybe worked with him before."

"Well, he's not too far off the mark. I guess I can be considered a merc. But no, never heard of him nor have I worked with him." Katherine sighed.

"Okay, then." She smiled slightly. "You want to come with us? Search his place?"

"Only if you're comfortable with me doing so."

"I am."

"Cool. Lemme grab my jacket first." Katherine noticed the sky rain begin to fall. It had just registered within her mind that it was quite cloudy. A storm was brewing above the Commonwealth.

The rain began to patter and trickle down the metal buildings when James returned.

"Here." He said as he handed her a faded blackish-brown leather jacket with a green snake printed onto the back. It read "Tunnel Snakes rule".

"Tunnel Snakes?" she asked, half-amused and half-curious.

"Gang that used to hand around Vault 101." James explained.

"Were you ever…?"

"Oh no." James quickly interjected. "Never. They were the Vault bullies and they always bullied this one girl."

"Oh, really? You weren't the bully?"

"Hah, no. They picked on her cause she was the Overseer's daughter. They picked on me cause I told them to stop."

"Really? Not because you were different or anything?'

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm just asking. Kids usually are picked on for being different."

"Hmm. Well, I don't know then. I never put too much thought into what the Tunnel Snakes thought of me or Amata."

"Amata?"

"My… friend from the Vault. The girl who got picked on." Katherine and James began to walk slowly towards where Nick was waiting for them.

"Oh. How was she?"

"She was great. She always tried to make everyone feel good. Even the Tunnel Snakes. But then she changed."

"What do you mean?"

"Wish I could tell you. I came back to the Capital after nine years and everything was different. I heard some pretty bad stories about the Vault. Never got around to checking it out."

"Why not?"

"Bad sense of direction." James joked. Katherine gave him a dirty look.

"Really, why?"

"Like whenever I do anything. I just get caught up in too many things, I forget the real reason I start doing something."

"Why did you leave?"

"I, uh, let's not talk about that."

"Okay. So if you didn't like the Tunnel Snakes then…." Katherine held up a black sleeve. James stared at it for a little while.

"I was escaping the Vault and the gang's leader, Butch runs up to me. He tells me his mom's trapped in her with a couple radraoches." James smiled. "You see, Butch really used to bully me big time, so I thought he was the toughest guy around."

"And?"

"We wasn't. He's scared of bugs. And he couldn't save his mom, so he asked me."

"What did you do?"

"Well, I thought about what my dad would do. Next thing I knew, I was in the room smashing bugs."

"Wow. And then?"

"He gave me his jacket as thanks. It was the best thing he could do given the circumstances."

"You said you were trying to escape the vault. Why?"

"Gee, could you two take any longer?" Nick asked, while puffing on his cigarette, hands stuffed into his coat pockets.

"Oh." Katherine said. "We're here."

"I guess that's a story for another time then." James joked. "So we gonna go in or not?"

"Wish we could." Nick said. "Tried the lock, couldn't crack it. Kellogg has got some pretty tight security."

"Let me take a look at it." James said. Katherine held James's jacket over her head so the rain wouldn't wet her suit. _Gonna need to find something new to wear soon. Hate all the people staring at me._ She thought to herself. She watched as James worked at the lock, fidgeting with a screwdriver and what looked to her like a bobby pin.

She began to think of Nate again. It had been a long time since she had done so. It had been two months since James had found her and released her in the Vault. It already seemed like a lifetime ago since that happened. Nate. Seemed even further away. She thought of the kiss she and James shared on their way back from Tenpines Bluff. _It was a terrible kiss._ She thought to herself. _It was almost as if he had no idea how to kiss a girl right._ She smiled a little. _Maybe I could teach him…_ She stopped herself immediately realizing what she was thinking. She shook the image out of her head.

"Done." She heard James's voice in the distance. Katherine turned and watched James open the door.

"You do nice work." Nick muttered, and James nodded before offering Nick to be the first to enter. Nick nodded and tipped his hat before shuffling inside of Kellogg's house. Katherine walked forward.

"You first, milady." James said in a playful tone.

"Milord." Katherine mimicked before stepping in herself. She let the jacket rest on her shoulders rather than hold it above her head. She took a good long look at the place while Nick shuffled through many of Kellogg's belongings.

"Huh. Small place." James said as he walked in. Katherine looked back at him and couldn't help staring at how his white t-shirt stuck to his chest and abs after being drenched by the rain. She quickly looked away again before spotting a desk.

"I'll search the desk." Katherine mumbled.

"James, you wanna get upstairs?" Nick asked as he stared at the wall.

"Sure." James said. "huh, nothing else up here. Pretty empty. There's an ammo box but that's it."

"Huh. Why rent a place here, especially since its expensive, only to keep nothing?" Nick wondered aloud. Katherine opened the desk drawers and found a few bullets.

"Just a few bullets and a small box of .44 ammunition." Katherine called aloud.

"No surprise there." Nick commented. "Kellogg's known for operating with a deadly .44 pistol."

"There's something else too." Katherine said.

"What is it? Talk to me." Nick said while continuing to stare at the same place in the wall.

"Why are you staring at the wall?" James asked.

"Place looks pretty big on the outside. Something about this wall doesn't feel right to me." Nick said. Katherine looked under the desk and found a small red button. She pressed it. She heard a small rumble sound and looked up. The wall in front of Nick folded in on itself and revealed a hidden wall.

"Work's just cut out for me." Nick said as he finished his cigarette. "That's one way to hide a room."

"Huh, would you look at that?" James said as he walked down the stairs. Katherine followed Nick into the room.

"San Francisco sunlights?" Nick muttered.

"Yeah, popular cigar brand that's distributed mostly on the West Coast. Other than San Francisco it's only other main place of sales is the Boneyard." James commented. Nick looked at him with a funny look.

"What? I get around." Katherine picked up a beer bottle.

"Gwinett Stout beer." She read. _Nate's favorite brand_. She thought.

"Interesting choice." Nick muttered.

"Isn't that hard to get around here?" James asked.

"The pure stuff, yeah." Nick responded. "Looks like our guy here is a man of means."

"Especially with the Sunlights. They're not exactly circulating among all of the wastelanders around here." James reasoned.

"So wouldn't that mean it'd be fairly uncommon for a wastelander to have one?" Katherine asked. Nick's blue eyes lit up a brighter shade of blue.

"I got it. The sunlights are rare out east. Maybe we could get a dog to catch the scent and that's how we'll find Kellogg." Nick said. "Or maybe someone who distributes these and knows him."

"Great, now we just need to find a dog." James said.

"What about Dogmeat?" Katherine asked.

"Dogmeat?" Nick asked.

"A dog she adopted. Like the Deathclaw." James answered.

"His name is Spot." Katherine interjected.

"It has a name now?!" James cried in disbelief.

"Spot?" Nick asked.

"Yes." Katherine said quietly.

"Isn't Dogmeat all the way back at Sanctuary?" James asked.

"Yeah, I guess we're gonna have to go and get him." Katherine said.

"Sounds like we have a plan. So you still need me to tag along?" Nick asked.

"Would you like to, Nick?" Katherine asked.

"Only if you need me." Nick responded. She nodded.

"Why don't you come with us?" Katherine asked.

"All right, it's settled. Let's head back to Sanctuary and get Dogmeat." James said.

"AGH!" a cry from outside caught all of their attentions. James rushed outside with his 10mm drawn. Morales stood at the doorway fighting off a brown dog.

"Dogmeat?" Katherine asked.

"Well, that's convenient." James muttered. "Morales, what are you doing?"

"I came to warn you, sir."

"About what?"

"Eden sent a message to everyone warning that the Prydwyn is closing in on Boston, he's recalled all Enclave forces and explicitly ordered you back to the Capital."


	16. Kellogg

James smashed the head of the synth leader against the wall.

"Surrender immediately." It groaned as James tore its head from the new hole in the concrete. He smashed it once more before being satisfied that it was finally dead. He panted, somehow even in his advanced mark II power armor, he had exerted himself. With the armor on, he wasn't supposed to even break a sweat.

"Clear?" Nick's voice came from the hallway.

"Yeah." James panted. He searched among strewn pieces of synth armor and robot parts for his shotgun. _It's Charon's, I can't lose it._ He thought, he began to panic when he found it, lying against a desk in the corner of the room. He rushed over and snapped it up. He inspected it carefully and reloaded it when satisfied that it was still in working condition. Katherine strode into room, synth rifle ready as Nick followed closely behind her with his own synth rifle.

"Wow, you work quickly." Nick commented as he glanced at the synth parts.

"I'm experienced." James admitted. "Dogmeat?"

"I let him stay outside to rest with Spot. They'll be fine." Katherine responded.

"I'm sure." James muttered.

"Okay then. I guess since you won't leave, I'll give you what you want." Kellogg's voice came over the speaker. James looked up instinctively. Katherine had done the same while Nick began to search through drawers and desks for ammunition or anything that would help with the coming confrontation. "We'll talk. I've unlocked the door, come on in and uh, we'll have a chat."

"I don't like that." James commented.

"Neither do I." Nick said as he continued searching through drawers. "Nothing. Nothing that will give us an edge. Kellogg really knows what he's doing."

"No surprise there. If he's as old as he looks, he's going to play dirty." James said. He froze and Katherine watched the armor's back open up and James jumped out.

"What are you doing?" Katherine asked.

"Keeping you safe." James responded. "Get in."

"I've never been in one." Katherine said, half-scared to actually enter a suit. She'd always associated power armor to be used by the military exclusively. To be used by people like Nate. Not people like her.

"Well get in. You'll get used to it." James shot her a small smile. "Trust me, it's not as scary as it may seem." He held out his hand to help her into the suit. Katherine nodded, took his hand and climbed into the back of the suit. "You in?" He asked. The suit began to close before Katherine could answer. She yelped as the light behind her disappeared and the light from the eyeports became her world.

"You all right in there?" James asked, he stepped in front of the suit. He tapped on the helmet for good measure. "Try looking up and down." Katherine nodded. "See? You got this?" Katherine looked back down at her hands and clenched her fingers. She was almost surprised to see the metal fingers of the suit respond in synch with her own movements. It was then that Katherine realized that she was hyperventilating. She hated small, enclosed spaces. James tapped on the helmet again.

"Hey! I asked you a question, you all right in there?" James asked again. Nick stood in the doorway that led to Kellogg.

"Yeah- Yeah. I'm fine." Katherine said quietly, she sighed and took a step forward. "How do you wear these things all the time?"

"I don't." James answered shortly. James slung the combat shotgun behind his back. "We're gonna be all right. Well you are at least." James gave her a smile. "You're gonna be fine and we're gonna find your boy. I promise. Just stay behind me like usual." Katherine nodded. James looked back at Nick. Nick nodded and then kicked the door open, swinging his rifle left and right to clear the room.

"No need for that." Kellogg's voice filled the room. James took cover behind a cubicle. Katherine clanked past the doors. The armor felt surreal, she had be standing at least seven feet tall. She cranked her laser musket nervously. "I've already ordered my synths to stand down." The room was pitch black. James fought every instinct to turn on his Pip-Boy light and give away his position in an attempt to see more. Katherine blinked in an effort to see through the darkness when the eyeports suddenly changed filters and shifted from a yellow-green to a bluish-gray color.

"After all." Kellogg's voice filled the room once more. The lights flashed on and a single man stood in between multiple cubicles. Katherine recognized him immediately.

"You." She growled.

"We're only here to talk." Kellogg said as he rolled the chamber on his .44 magnum. "Y'know when I first heard you'd left the vault, I gave you a fifty percent chance of making it to Diamond City. I guess even I can be wrong." Katherine rushed forward, suddenly her composure had been overcome with a wave of rage.

"Ah, ah. You don't want to do that." Kellogg warned. He snapped his fingers and two synths came out into the hallway. Along with them, they dragged a setller and a little girl.

"Marie!" James yelped as he noticed the synths passed by.

"Do it." Kellogg said. A synth smashed the settler against the window and began to beat him with a stun baton. James recognized him instantly, he was from Sanctuary.

"You bastard." James said through clenched teeth. Katherine watched, horrified at what the synths were doing to the man.

"We have the whole settlement rounded up and split up all around the Commonwealth. When the Institute realizes I'm dead, they will all be executed." Kellogg said calmly as he pulled up a stool to where he stood. "So, let's talk."

"We'll find them." Katherine said, her quiet voice amplified by the suit's loudspeaker.

"Probably." Kellogg shrugged. "But will you find all of them?" Katherine knew where Kellogg was going with this. "I wonder. Who will you look for first? Who will you find first?"

"I'll find who I can." Katherine responded. James continued watching Marie.

"Marie, it's okay. Don't move, I'll be there soon." James tried to comfort her through the thick reinforced glass. As if she could hear him.

"Yeah, maybe. And who will that be thought?" Kellogg asked. He leaned back on the stool and crossed his arms. "Will it be your cowboy boyfriend from the Minutemen? The belligerent housewife? The fortune-telling grandma? The devastated father? Any one I forget about?" Kellogg gave Katherine an ugly smirk.

"You took my son." Katherine growled.

"It was a job." Kellogg said. "Nothing more nothing less."

"You didn't have to take it."

"No I did."

"Why?"

"To get paid."

"How can you justify kidnapping someone's baby?"

"I didn't kill him."

"What?"

"I didn't kill him. Your son."

"Oh my God…"

"I could have. I'm not saying I wouldn't have. I've had jobs that made me do it."

"…"

"I never liked it."

"What's your point?"

"You asked me how to justify kidnapping. That's how I do it."

"…"

"What else did you want?"

"You know you killed that boy's father?"

"I've killed plenty of fathers. Sons, mothers, aunts, uncles. I kill for a living. What do you want from me?"

"I want to know where my son is." Kellogg gave a large hearty laugh.

"I'm sorry then. That's impossible."

"And why's that?"

"He's with the Institute now."

"And what does that mean?"

"I think our talk's gone long enough. I don't owe you anything anymore."

"Owe me?"

"Y'know. For killing your husband and kidnapping your son. And now… you." Kellogg smiled. Then he disappeared.

"Dammit!" Nick grunted. He fired his rifle numerous times at where Kellogg had sat. Katherine tried to search for signs of Kellogg. She saw two flashes and felt her power armor buckle from the force of the blows.

"You've survived this long, I'll give you that." Kellogg's voice filled the room. "But you've never fought anything like me." Katherine ran to James, who continued to stand by where Marie knelt, sobbing while held captive by the synths.

"James, I need you to help me."

"Marie." James whispered. "I failed you, Ashur. I'm so sorry."

"She's still here, Kellogg has some use for her. Kill him and we can still save her." Katherine said quickly knowing Kellogg may exploit James's moment of weakness to gain an edge. James looked at Katherine and nodded. He reached into his pack and produced a pulse grenade.

"Nick, take cover!" James shouted as he primed and tossed the grenade. Nick ducked under a desk, the grenade exploded, destroying the circuitry of one of the synths in the room. Kellogg shifted in and out of seeming invisibility.

"Stealth boy." James said. "You see a shimmer, shoot it." James said. He drew his combat shotgun and blasted at where he guessed Kellogg would be. \

"Impressive. You have some friends in high places after all." Kellogg's voice taunted Katherine .Two more flashes and the armor bounced back from the impacts. But Katherine felt nothing. James really upgraded the thing to be durable. "Nick Valentine, synth detective. What are you doing here? Fighting the powers that made you."

"The powers that dumped me out here with nothing? No thank you." Nick shouted from behind his cubicle. He stuck his head out of cover. Another flash, Nick's hat flew off and Nick dropped back below cover.

"And your other friend," Katherine stepped out of cover and blasted the second synth in the room. It flew back four feet and slumped into a chair, the rolling chair continued to roll back from the synth's momentum. Katherine cranked her laser musket as she walked down the center looking for shimmers in the air. "Recognizing stealth fields with a glance. Your friend here is an experienced fighter. I wonder how good." Katherine gritted her teeth.

"Don't let him get to your nerves." James said calmly. "This is how he'll try to pick us off one by one."

"One by one? Don't make me laugh." An object clanked in from of Katherine.

"Flash bomb!" James shouted. "Look away!" The flash did not really affect Katherine, but the sudden change in light caused a glitch with the helmet's light filtering system. While it rebooted she was running blind. James looked up and was able to make out a man shape sprint towards Nick and slam a combat knife into his shoulder.

"Ergh." Nick grunted. James ran at the shape and tackled it. Katherine turned and the helmet rebooted itself. James and Kellogg wrestled for the .44 magnum. Kellogg headbutted James and took the opportunity to wrestle James to the ground. James held a trench knife in his hand and Kellogg reached to wrest it away from James's hands. James kicked Kellogg off and managed to keep Kellogg from grabbing his knife. Katherine had a shot and she took it. The red beam of laser flashed forward and slammed straight into Kellogg's torso.

Kellogg was knocked back by the sheer energy of the blast fell onto his back. Somehow still maintaining the strength and will to fight, he used to the momentum to roll onto his feet and aim his .44 at Katherine. He fired once. The round bounced off of Katherine's head and the force of the blast to her helmet disoriented her while also knocking her off balance. James drew his 10mm when he saw a shimmer move quickly towards him.

James planted his feet into the ground and aimed at the shimmer. She squeezed off a few rounds. One clipped Kellogg's arm. The stealth field dissipated and blood smeared Kellogg's leather jacket. Kellogg tackled James. James took the opportunity to stab Kellogg's back with his trench knife. James slammed into the desk behind him. Kellogg raised his fist and smashed it against James's face. James saw stars and attempted to continue stabbing at Kellogg. Kellogg punched James again.

Katherine rushed at Kellogg and sprinted towards him instinctively. Kellogg was too preocpied with James, he didn't notice a huge five hundred pound suit of power armor rushing towards him at a great speed. Kellogg turned and saw it too late. Katherine shoulder tackled Kellogg into the wall. The resulting impact caused the wall to the crack and crumble behind Kellogg. Katherine backed away while Kellogg simply slumped and became limp while still stuck in the wall. Katherine lifted the helmet from her face and took a breath of fresh air.

"James?" Katherine called out at James's limp form on the desk.

"hmm?" he mumbled.

"I think I got him." Katherine panted.

"mmkay." James grumbled. He wiped his face and sat up. His face was red and bloodied and his hair was messed up. He nodded at Katherine and took a look at Kellogg. "I had that under control."

"Sure you did." Katherine panted, she planted the helmet plate back on her face. James inspected Kellogg and checked his pulse. James looked at Katherine and shook his head.

"Uncle James!" Marie's voice called from the hallway.

"Marie!" James shouted, he leapt to his feet and began to run after the synths who ran away with her.

"I'll check on Nick, we'll be there soon!" Katherine called after him. Katherine inspected Kellogg's body herself. She took her pistol. The pistol that killed Nate. She placed it in her pack, it may come in handy. She found a few strange pieces of metal hanging from Kellogg's bloodied and beaten body. Katherine carefully placed them in separate leather bags she made and placed them all carefully in her pack.

"Nick?" She asked. She walked over to Nick, who sat slumped against desk, flicking his lighter with his left hand, cigarette in his mouth. His right arm lay limp at his side, green fluid spurting out of the defunct limb.

"Gimme a hand here, will ya?" He asked.

"You know these kill right?" Katherine asked. Nick gave her a funny look. "You know what never mind." Katherine took hold of Nick's lighter and flicked it on. She lit the cigarette and let Nick take a good long puff.

"Will you be all right?"

"I don't know." Nick responded. "Maybe we'll get your boyfriend to check me out and tell me then."

"One thing at a time, Nick." Katherine said. She offered her hand to help Nick up. Nick took it and let him be dragged up. They both then rushed off to find James.

Katherine exited the elevator, rifle raised. She found bits of synth all over the floor and the door open. A carcass of what used to be a synth lay at the door, holding it open. Katherine could see James outside hugging Marie.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." James repeated again and again. Katherine stepped out and knocked on the door to let James know that he had company. James looked up immediately. He saw Katherine and his expression softened. He nodded and looked Marie in the eyes. "I'm never leaving you again, I promise Marie." Katherine opened her mouth to interject. But then she saw something come over the hill.

"Uncle James. Look. It's… It's…." Marie began. James turned and saw it. The Prydwyn.

"People of the Commonwealth. We are the Brotherhood of Steel. We come in Peace." James didn't recognize the voice on the intercom but recognized what the Brotherhood was doing. His thoughts drifted back to the burning Pitt.

"What is that?" Katherine asked. Nick began to recite an extract from some forgotten book.

"It's the Prydwyn." James responded. "And it's here to wage war."

To be continued


	17. What's Next?

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Katherine asked. "I hate to think that leaving the Commonwealth for so long to the Brotherhood is good for it."

"Trust me." James responded. "A few months is nothing. They'll get a lot done, but we'll have something much better." James grunted as he hiked up the hill. Dogmeat panted as he ran past James and Katherine, enjoying the spring breeze on the trail and playing with Marie as she ran through the tall grass that grew along the trail.

"It's been so long." Katherine thought aloud.

"Since what?" James asked.

"Since I've been to D.C." Katherine said. She smiled at James, who smiled back. She almost seemed giddy to James, as if she were about to break out into skips at any second.

"Trust me, it's nothing like what you knew it as." He said.

"Well, it certainly can't be as bad as the Commonwealth." Katherine responded. James stepped over the ridge and reached the viewing area that stood above Raven Rock. He could see the Washington Monument in the far distance.

"I guess that depends on perspective." James said. Katherine stared out at the ruins of the city. She covered her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I guess, after all the stories you'd told me and the difference you and the Brotherhood tried to make, I'd hoped that the Capital would've been more restored than the Commonwealth."

"She definitely needs work." James said as he rested his leg on a rock. "But things are farther along here than in the Commonwealth for sure."

"Why did you leave?" Marie asked.

"Well, I've left quite a few times." James responded. "Always for a different reason."

"Why this last time?" Katherine asked.

"I was warned by an acquaintance that something was coming. Something I couldn't stop. So me being me, I'm trying to stop it." James responded.

"What is it you're trying to stop?" Katherine asked. James turned to Katherine and opened his mouth.

"No need to say any more, Colonel." A familiar voice called from behind the three of them. James turned to the direction from where the voice came from. He recognized the blond haired man immediately.

"Arcade." James said.

"When I heard the recall signal sent out by Eden, I couldn't believe it. The dead organization that my father worked for was suddenly alive again. I simply had to investigate." Arcade shot James a smile. "Welcome home."


	18. I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire

"Arcade, what's the status of the Zeta ship?" James said aloud as he inspected the rebuilt control tower at Addam's Air Force base.

"We've reestablished contact with Major Harkin, now calling himself Commodore Harkin. He insists on speaking to you, sir." Arcade responded as he supervised all of the officer in the control tower. In two weeks, both Arcade and James had revolutionized the Enclave chain of command and modus operandi. Thanks to overriding Eden's old personality matrix, he now consigned himself to step down similar to how Washington did after two terms. James protested but Eden insisted on doing so in order to help plan tactical maneuvers and logistical operations to regain a foothold in the Capital Wasteland.

"Excellent. I'm afraid I won't have time to visit him personally, tell him to send an emissary to Rivet City and I'll meet with him." James responded.

"Why the run-around?" Arcade asked. James immediately thought of Katherine and her quest to find Shaun.

"I need to get back to the Commonwealth as soon as possible. I came back to reorganize the Enclave into a fighting force to find the settlers that were kidnapped from my settlement." James responded. "So I need to get back as soon as possible."

"Understood, I'll send someone to meet with officers from…. The TSC?" He asked.

"Terran Space Command. Their idea, not mine. An organization striving to promote the Enclave's original humanitarian ideals and not Autumn's autocratic ones."

"Oh, ok. Strange that the Enclave would split so soon after splitting from the West."

"It is strange that they would do so. The work the TSC is doing up on Olympus, the Zeta ship, is amazing. But they still harbor a deep distrust of the Enclave. Hopefully, my name will be enough to convince the council of reform."

"Why do you need them?"

"I only need the Enclave now. I would like to the have the TSC backing the Enclave since they already had a foothold here, last I checked."

"Morales, get me whatever records we have on the TSC." Arcade spoke into the radio.

"Of course, sir."

"First I've heard of them." Arcade said.

"They have been quiet as of late. I did not see any of their troops the last time I was here in the Wasteland."

"Hmm, so be it. Would you like to meet your new Squad Sigma?"

"I would. And I would prefer if they kept the name Lyons' Pride."

"Why?"

"Humor me."

"Understood ,sir. Lyons' Pride fall in at Hangar 1 for orders." Arcade said into a loudspeaker. James looked out of the window. Vertibirds flocked in and out of the air force base. Troops trained in the concrete slabs and marched in formation. James thought about the Enclave that had killed his father. What would his father think of him heading that very same organization.

"I thought you traveled with Hale." James said suddenly.

"I beg your pardon?" Arcade asked, looking up from a clipboard.

"I thought you traveled with Hale and his merry band of volunteers."

"Oh, I did. But recently he was deployed north to combat some shady organization known as the Confederacy. After the first attack destroyed the Boneyard…"

"The Boneyard was destroyed?"

"Yes. A huge terrorist attack destroyed the rebuilt city. First Rangers were deployed to recon where the Confederacy could have come from. Their white uniforms suggested an area with lots of snow especially since the attack came in the winter."

"So while our best Ranger Captain, Keely was sent to the North. Hale was sent to investigate the East. He first searched the Sierra Nevadas to no avail. Keely found the organization and Hale was ordered by Kimball to search for an individual known as the Lone Wanderer. That's how we met you."

"Why me?"

"I thought you said the Lone Wanderer didn't exist."

"hmm."

"Anyways, stories of the Lone Wanderer single-handedly cleansing the Capital Wasteland of irradiated water led the births of numerous other tall tales. They eventually made their way West. It didn't help that your book co-authored by a Moira Brown had become so popular as well."

"I only did the research for that book, she wrote it."

"Nevertheless, still extremely popular. Definitely a best-seller in the Mojave. I think the first volume just got printed in the West region a couple months ago."

"Nice to know it's making a difference."

"And that's why Hale was sent to investigate. Kimball understands the status and prestige of a 'name brand' of sorts. You're a Wasteland legend. You hold more sway with the locals than Kimball himself."

"Is there a reason for Hale specifically?"

"He was the Courier."

"The what?"

"The Courier."

"So the glorified mailman."

"Actually that pretty much sums it up."

"And why him?"

"He practically saved the Mojave from the clutches of the Legion. And he enlisted in the NCR to continue steamrolling the Legion to extinction. Now it's barely a threat."

"Legion?"

"Y'know. Like the Romans? Do you know what Romans are?"

"Yes. The type to shout retribution and speak latin phrases and what-not?"

"The very same."

"Hmm." James was reminded of his time at the Citadel before it fell. The very same types of people had attacked and practically destroyed the Citadel.

"Shall we go meet the Pride, then?"

"Of course."

"Commander on deck!" Kodiak's voice rose above the commotion in the hangar.

"At ease." Arcade shot back. James looked carefully at the hangar. It was s giant storage area for all of the T-45 suits of power armor that the Brotherhood used before finding the T-60 units in storage. Scrap metal was strewn all over the floor. A small make-shift staging area had been set up for the Pride. As if the entire hangar was their place to hang out. The had a campfire in the middle with a spit of what looked like Brahmin chunks hanging over the flames. A few field tents were pitched inside with bunk beds from the Citadel moved into them. Probably to give the illusion of privacy. All member of the Pride stood before Arcade and James in attention. James looked at all of them.

"I know you used to be part of the Brotherhood. Now after what I've seen at the Pitt… I don't want to be a part of it any more. I-"

"We know sir." Kodiak interjected. "We saw the refugees swarm in by the hundreds."

"Refugees?" James asked. "People survived that?"

"Yes, sir. The stories…" Kodiak said.

"We tried to accommodate them the best we could." Vargas responded. "We simply ran out of space at the AFB so we began to have Tenpenny Towers, Rivet City, Megaton start construction on refugee housing. Without a unified police force however, I am unsure of the status of such housing."

"What happened to the refugees here?"

"Some of them moved on. Most of them remained, when the Enclave came back we were taken completely by surprise, sir." Paladin Tristan spoke this time.

"But this guy." Dusk gestured at Arcade. "Convinced us to stand down. That they were here under your orders."

"We didn't believe him at first." Glade said. "Then he had Eden tell us with an eyebot."

"You believed Eden?"

"He didn't say anything. He gave us a recording of your conversation with him." Gallows said. "That was all we needed."

"Understood. I've called you all here for a very specific mission." James began. "We're headed to the Commonwealth."

"The Commonwealth, sir?" Glade asked.

"I established a settlement there that was sacked by the Institute and their synths. We're going to get them back, but I couldn't find and save all of the settlers on my own. Even with the new friends I'd made there, I wouldn't have been able to do it. So I recreated this with Eden so I can save them."

"And your original mission, sir?" Gallows asked.

"I believe this is the answer, Gallows." James responded. "So I'm ordering to Pride to follow me back to the Commonwealth. Vertibirds will take us back as far as they can go, and we'll each make our own way back to the Commonwealth. Each of you will take a covert team of operatives to each these locations." James looked at the orange tactical board taken from the Citadel. Instead of a map of the Capital, it displayed a map of the Commonwealth. There were almost forty map markers.

"There are seven of us. Seven squads. I've already divided the Commonwealth into sectors for each squad to search carefully. We'll all rendezvous here at Sanctuay."

"Sir, wouldn't that be risk to bring them back to the same place?" Dusk asked.

"Not if we have some serious security on our side." James responded.

"And what will that be, sir? The Enclave isn't done with training the new recruits. We're going to need some serious firepower." Glade asked.

"Hopefully, if things go right in Olympus. We'll be getting that firepower."


	19. The Commonwealth

The Vertibird rocked slightly as it flew above the lands that James knew he had traveled recently. Just like that, his trip back to the Capital again was done. He didn't even get to see Megaton again to check up on Harden. He barely had time to conduct a meeting with the Rivet City Council, TSC emissary, before leaving once again. He could've talked to Butch in the Muddy Rudder. But he felt he had taken up too much of Katherine's time already.

The low blue light in the sitting bay of the Vertibird made it a bit difficult to see. It was nighttime and the light was dimmed to allow the squad to sleep. Katherine sat from a across James, Marie laying next her, head on Katherine's lap as she slept. James did not want a large squad for his team. The other members of the Pride each took an additional eight enclave operatives. James only took three. One was Morales the officer that let James get the idea of overhauling the Enclave system. Morales was young, but one hell of a good shot. The plasma weapon wasn't really Morales's speed. James issued a gauss rifle to him instead. Back at Addams AFB, Morales practiced with it extensively and knows how to maintain it. He also learned how to disassemble and reassemble it with his eyes closed. Just to see if he could do it.

The other two were just old Enclave Hellfire troopers. They no longer were wearing power armor. Nobody was going to wear power armor for this stage of the operation. It was mainly to avoid being seen by the Brotherhood. One was named Niko and didn't talk much. He sat in the back seat, arms crossed and head slumped. He seemed like he was taking a nap. The other's name was Samuel. He was born in Raven Rock and seemed to dislike James, but he was also a good shot with a sniper rifle. Arcade thought so highly of Samuel that he issued Sam a Chinese stealth suit and a brand-new prototype plasma sniper rifle. James had yet to see it so he was interested in its capabilities.

James thought back to his meeting with the TSC emissary.

"Supreme Commander, Commodore Harkin wishes to know why you've allied yourself with the Enclave." The emissary spoke as James entered his room at the Weatherly Hotel. James had instructed the TSC officers to do so to avoid being overhead by security officers when they had to discuss private matters.

"Last I was here, the TSC wasn't big enough to launch a full-scale invasion." James responded. "You guys are like my research department. You guys have all the science down, but not exactly the muscle."

"I am unsure is Commander Karpov will agree, Commander." The emissary responded.

"I understand. Tell Harkin and the Council that I am heading the Enclave right now. While under provisional leadership of Arcade Gannon, Former President Eden and myself. I do not hold all the power and I'm sure Harkin will understand that if the power is shared, your requests will be heard." James responded.

"I understand Commander." The emissary commented. "The council wishes to meet with you immediately. They are quite angry that you disappeared for nine years and upon returning did not notify them."

"That's because I didn't want my return to be a big thing. I just wanted to check up on a few settlements and maybe have I don't know a vacation of sorts." James responded. "Wait, I don't have to explain myself. I'm sure the TSC got along fine without me for a little bit. Please send a request to them to hold a meeting with Arcade representing me. He'll explain everything."

"Will that be all Commander?"

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse, I have to go."

James leaned back in his seat. He hoped Arcade would have an alright time talking to the leadership of the TSC. They were quite reasonable when working with James, but that was almost ten years ago and was also before he disappeared. James looked up and caught Katherine looking at him. He smiled at her. She smiled back. After traveling so long with Kat in the Commonwealth, he couldn't imagine doing anything without her. He looked away and wondered why such thoughts were popping into his head all of sudden. He never thought like that before. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Darkness, and he was asleep.

"We're landing in five, sir." The crew chief said as he tapped James's shoulder. James opened one eye and nodded. He yawned and stood up.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen. Ride's over. Get your gear and get ready to get off." James said. The lights in the vertibird crew area shimmered to a dark red. Niko practically jumped off his seat and began to pack away his things. Sam simply continued cleaning his new rifle. All of his gear was already packed away.

"Marie." Katherine whispered. "It's time to get up."

"Five more minutes." Marie moaned.

"C'mon kiddo." James said. "We're almost there." James felt the vertibird slow and his stomach began to feel funny. They were descending.

Soon the side hatches opened and James shot out of the vertibird with 10mm pistol drawn. Niko followed him while Kat and Sam went out the other side.

"Clear." Niko said in his deep baritone voice. James turned back to the vertibird. Marie stood in the doorway and James held out his hand to her.

"Here we go." James said in a playful tone as he helped her down from the vertibird. Dogmeat shot out of the vertibird and began to frolick around in the grass.

"Taking off." The pilot's voice said in James's earpiece. James crouched and checked his Pip-Boy. They were just a ways Northeast of Tenpines Bluff. _Little closer than I thought_. The vertibird took off and immediately the silence of the Commonwealth returned. That was the main difference between the Capital and the Commonwealth. The silence.

"All right, we're not too far from where we're supposed to search first. Let's move out." James said. "Sam I want you on point. You head out first and radio anything you see back to us."

"Yes, sir." Sam said. He quickly strapped on his backpack before rushin off ahead into the distance.

"Niko, you cover the rear." James said. Niko nodded as he chambered a round into his Chinese assault rifle. "Kat, Marie. You guys ready to go?" he asked in a softer tone. Kat nodded and Marie was too busy playing with Dogmeat. "All right let's go."

James's Pip-Boy began to chirp as they neared Outpost Zimonga. It was a place Preston had told James to check out, but he never got to doing it. James pressed the earpiece.

"Sam what do you have for me?" James asked.

"Small outpost, sir. It's burning. Synths moving up and about. About six of them. I see three dead civilians on the ground floor of the outpost. It looks like the synths have engaged a team of supermutants." Sam responded, his voice hushed. "Orders, sir?"

"Morales, take up firing positions with Sam. You're going to be his second." James ordered as he turned to Morales. The teen nodded before rushing off to where Sam lay prone in the dirt.

"Position achieved, sir." Morales said over the radio.

"When you have a shot to tip the scales into the mutant's favor, take it. Let them fight it out but keep the battle even between the two camps. That'll minimize the work we need to do." James ordered.

"Understood sir." Sam said. Sam fired his gun and a green line shot from the barrel of his gun. It was surreal to James. Usually plasma was much slower than laser. But he guessed that it was moved about the same speed as a laser musket. "Target down."

The short skirmish went on like that for five minutes. Sam pulled the trigger. A green line cleaved through the head of a super mutant and the battle was over.

"All targets eliminated sir." Sam said.

"Sam, maintain covering position. Report anything you see headed our way. Niko, Morales on me. We're headed in." James ordered.

"What about me?" Katherine asked.

"Stay here." James ordered. Katherine frowned. And for some reason that made James's heart sink to his stomach. But she turned away and ran down the hill.

The three men continued to clear the outpost. Morales now held a 10mm submachinegun since the gauss rifle was useless in close quarters.

"Building clear." Niko said.

"Sir, I think I've got something." Morales said. James walked over to Morales, who stood over one of the dead settlers. James recognized him as one the men from Sanctuary. The man wore a red flannel shirt with a leather armor mixed and matched on top. He worked security detail at Sanctuary.

"Connor." James muttered. He knelt and turned Connor over. James closed Connor's eyes. From what he could see, the synths beat him to death with stun batons. James noticed something in Connor's hands and wrested it from Connor's iron grip. It was a note.

"Cowboy's at Coastal Cottage." It read. That was way off of his area to search. But James knew that it would be some time before Glade would reach that part of his search area.

"Change of plans gentlemen, we're headed East to find a friend. We have confirmed intel that Preston Garvey is at Coastal Cottage."

"But that's not our area, sir." Morales interjected.

"I understand lieutenant, but we find Garvey and we'll probably find the rest of the settlers." James responded.

"I don't like going against orders sir." Morales complained.

"How about this?" Niko added. "The three of us continue searching our area and you go to find Garvey. We don't disobey orders and you still find your man."

"Good idea. You three, see what you can find from this place before moving. Try to set the tower to connect all of our squad's communications. If you manage to do that, leave a man to maintain the radio connection."

"Yes, sir." Niko and Morales said in unison. They both saluted before leaving to work.

"Sam! Get down here!" Morales ordered. James walked up the hill and passed Sam.

"We're headed to Coastal Cottage and we're gonna find Preston now." James said.

"That's good. Will you ask me to stay here with them again?" Katherine asked. James looked at her. She was annoyed with him. He couldn't tell if she was mad or not. He frowned.

"No, you guys come with me." He said after a while.

"Okay then." Katherine said as she stood up. "But remember, we have a kid with us, you can't exactly be running and gunning after everything."

"I know. You gonna okay with that Marie?"

"Yeah." Marie responded.

"Okay then, it's settled. Let's go." James said.

James and Katherine passed the Slog and were crossing a river. The silence was uncanny and was getting to Katherine. She never liked the quiet of the Commonwealth. It made everything seem dead.

"Tell me about your dad." Katherine said suddenly. "I mean, if you're okay with that."

"Mm, what do you want to know?" James asked.

"Well, I don't know."

"I just don't know where to start."

"Hmm. Then start with the vault, I guess."

"He was the vault doctor. Everyone looked up to him. Everyone loved him too. Whenever someone was sick, bam my dad did something and they were good again. That's obviously not how medicine works, but as a kid he was like a superhero."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he always told me to follow the rules no matter what happened, but for my tenth birthday he fixed up a bb gun for me and taught me how to shoot. It was also funny cause in order to fix it, he had to steal Butch's switchblade to do it."

"Wow, your dad is a doctor who breaks rules and steals people's stuff?"

"I know right? Practically a superhero. But even though life in the vault was okay, he always seemed sad about something."

"Really? About what?"

"I never knew. I always assumed it was cause mom died giving birth to me, but looking back now, I'm not so sure that's all it was."

"Mm."

"Yeah. I mean, I know he left the vault to restart Project Purity, but it seemed kind of sudden. Like why at that point? Why not later? Why not earlier? I later found out that the deal to let me in was for him to be a doctor for the vault, but still. Something bothers me about the whole situation."

"Like what?"

"The vault door has a password that prevents people from coming in. How did my dad know the password to let us in? It never made sense to me."

"Maybe he hacked it?"

"It's vault-tec. You can't just hack it like RobCo stuff."

"Eh, I used to know some people who'd disagree with you big time on that."

"Like who?"

"Well, my husband Nate for one."

"Oh."

"He liked to tinker with stuff .Kind of like you actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He worked in the military made his way up to sergeant, But after Anchorage, he seemed different. Changed. Like he didn't believe in the strength of America anymore."

"Hmm. Anchorage. I know all about that."

"Oh really? How?"

"General Chase made some kind of simulation training program using the battle. One time, when I was helping some Outcasts out, they ordered me to complete the program for them. I had to fight in Anchorage and if I died in the sim, I'd die in real life. So I guess I can kind of relate to what your husband might have gone through."

"I see."

"What was he like?"

"What?"

"Your husband, Nate."

"Why?"

"You never talk about him."

"Do I need to?"

"Well… You married him. So one might think he was really important to you."

"He was… He is…"

"Then why don't you talk about him?"

"I… I don't really want to."

"Alright then, I understand." James and Katherine continued to walk.

"Uncle James, I'm tired, and my feet hurt." Marie whined from behind the two.

"Okay we'll rest for a little while." James said. He walked off the road and towards a tree. He threw his pack off and sat by it. Marie laid down in the grass beside him. Dogmeat continued to play and run around.

"Where's the deathclaw?" James asked.

"I don't know. After we'd gotten a certain distance away from the Commonwealth, he just left."

"So he went on to be a deathclaw by himself, huh?"

"Sure, James."

"What? It's what's natural for them."

"Yeah, I know." Katherine said as she sat down beside James. They watched the clouds roll together in the shade of the tree and the cool afternoon breeze.

"How old were you when you left the vault?" Katherine asked suddenly.

"Nineteen."

"How old are you now?"

"Like almost thirty."

"Me too."

"You were in that pod a long time, you sure you really qualify as thirty?" Katherine shot him a dirty look and James shrugged it off. They walked in silence for a little, the creaking wood swaying in the wind breaking the lull in their conversation. Marie skipped behind them with Dogmeat closely watching her.

"I guess I'd be more like two hundred and thirty years old."

"Well, for someone who's lived so long, you sure look great."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're beautiful for one."

"Oh." Katherine looked at James. James looked ahead, as if looking at the world with tunnel vision and a singular focus. Katherine smiled slightly at his statement. James could be very guarded at times. "Hey-"

"Shh." James drew his rifle and crouched behind a bush. Katherine knew to duck behind him and take cover as well. She turned back to see that Marie had done the same. After about a month of traveling with Katherine and James, Marie had practically picked up all of James's tricks and gestures. Katherine smiled at her and Marie beamed back. Katherine turned and tapped on James's shoulder.

"What is it?" Katherine whispered. James looked back,

"Raiders. Three of them by a campfire." James whispered back. "Take Marie over there and set up shop. Get ready to shoot as soon as I do." Katherine nodded and gestured for Marie to follow her. Marie nodded and Katherine walked over to the trunk that James had pointed to. Marie ducked under it and concealed herself behind its huge body. Katherine snapped on a scope to her laser musket and pressed it on. It whirred on and a red light on the side of the barrel indicated that the rifle was primed. She looked through the blue screen of the recon scope. She could see James, still crouched by the bush. James looked out from cover and fired twice with his hunting rifle. One of the raiders fell immediately while the other merely snapped into action. One raider dove for his weapon, but Katherine shot him first. The raider fell to the ground and didn't get up. She assumed he was dead. James came out of cover and slammed the butt of his rifle against the last raider's head. The raider fell immediately and James drew his pistol to finish the job. James gave the all clear and Katherine looked away from her scope. Marie sat next to Katherine, arms wrapped around her legs in the fetal position. Katherine tapped on Marie's shoulder, took two fingers and made a U in front of her face. Marie did the same back. It was a happy face gesture to tell Marie that she safe. Marie liked it better than not knowing until the very last second. Katherine took off the recon scope of her laser rifle before slinging it against her back.

"Hey buddy." Katherine whispered to Dogmeat as she slung her rifle. She played with his ears before standing up once more. James was immediately on the other side of the trunk.

"Nothing on them. C'mon we still have a ways to go before we reach Coastal Cottage." James said quickly before rushing off ahead. He seemed spooked by something. Katherine looked over at Marie and offered Marie her hand. Marie took it and Katherine helped her up. Katherine didn't say anything but led Marie to the main road and followed after James.


	20. Saving Preston

James cleared the house and only found skeletons. Likely those that belonged to the original owners of the house. James continued to step through what remained of the house's skeleton. He sighed and turned around.

"It's clear!" James called back to where he left Katherine and Marie.

"Preston?" Katherine shot back. James was a little disappointed that was the first person she thought of.

"No. I'm gonna check the shed, see if you can fix us a place to sleep. Sun's gonna set in a few hours." James shouted before making his way to the shed.

Katherine stood up and stretched. She'd been crouched in the tall grass for over fifteen minutes while James combed the area. _He takes too long doing that_. She thought to herself. She made the U to Marie before making her way to the house. As Katherine got closer she realized it was once a two-story house. She sighed and wondered who had been living there when the bombs went off.

Katherine stepped in and unstrapped her backpack. She slung it off of her shoulders and threw it next to Nate's. She began to look for a bed or bed frame for Marie. Katherine noticed the stairs to the second story had been obliterated so she walked out of the hole in the house and climbed up the hill. She walked onto the second story that way and found a bed frame. There were two skeletons entangled in one another. Katherine's heart sank. If it weren't for the vaults, she may very well have met her end like that. _But because of the vault I also lost Nate._ She remembered. Katherine fought back the urge to shed a tear. She had two people to look after, she had to be on her a-game to survive in this new world. Suddenly a flash of blue light lit the room, she saw her shadow plastered against the wall.

"Intruders? Activating tracking unit." A low eerie voice said from behind her. Katherine turned and drew her laser rifle. She counted at least five white humanoids in pristine white clothing and another man with them.

"Clear the area!" The man shouted. They came over the hill, one looked in Katherine's direction. Katherine took aim immediately and pulled the trigger. A red beam shot from the barrel of her rifle and rocketed it towards the Synth. The synth dropped dead, half of its head burned off and rolled down the hill.

"Intruder detected." Katherine heard the unison of voices. She ran across the floor and leapt to the hill below her. She landed and turned as quickly as she could. She looked for Marie.

"Marie!" Katherine whispered. She continued to crouch but she was sure the synths were now looking for her. Katherine took a quick look around but she couldn't find Marie. Katherine stood up, starting to panic. A blue bolt shot through the air and slammed into the floor beneath Katherine. Katherine cursed herself and squeezed the trigger of her own rifle. Blue bolts shot back and forth between her unseen enemy and her. Katherine ducked behind a couch and popped out the spent microfusion cell. She popped one back into the rifle and she stepped out from behind cover. In front of her stood four synths clad in white armor, all aiming their rifles at her.

"Miss Katherine. Please put down your weapons." One of them said. She guessed it was their leader since its helmet was a slightly different shade of white.

"How do you know my name?"

"We know the names of everyone native in the Commonwealth. The Institute knows everything. Join the Institute. Help it save the Commonwealth." The synth responded.

"You think I'm going to buy that propaganda stuff? I know what the Institute's really been doing." She continued to hold up her weapon at the leader. "Now answer my question. How do you know my name?"

"I'll take it from here. A3." A voice said. A man clad in a black coat walked into the view. "Please, continue to search the area."

"Of course, X6." The synth leader responded.

"Miss Katherine. Please. Have a seat." X6 gestured at the couch. Katherine didn't move. "If you do not lower your weapon, ma'am, I will lower it for you." Katherine lowered her weapon something in the man's tone resonated with her and made her want to listen to what he had to say. She took a seat on the couch.

"How does the Institute know my name?" She asked once more.

"The Institute has Vault-Tec records of all of the vaults on the East Coast. Vault 111 is one them still fairly functional. Your name was in there and the current readings from the site suggest that your pod is empty. It was not overly difficult to reason that you" X6 gestured at Katherine's vault suit. "a new settler from a vault is the same as the woman missing from her pod at Vault 111."

"Actually that's a very strange conclusion to make on such little information."

"You have me. I do not actually know how the Institute knows your name. I only know that the Bureau has instructed all synths and coursers to look for someone matching your description and to bring them into the Institute." X6 responded calmly. Katherine noticed that X6's hand was resting on his pistol.

"Do you know what the Bureau wants with me?" Katherine asked calmly as she slowly shifted her seated position to get her closer to her rifle.

"I'm sorry ma'am. I do not. Now please, come with me. If you do, I promise you that my synths will not harm your friend and that cowboy hiding out in the shed." Katherine looked at the shed. She could imagine James and Preston, camped out in cover inside the small building, concocting a plan on how to save her from X6 and his synths.

"Fine. I'll go quietly."

"Smart choice, ma'am. Father will be pleased to hear this."

"Father?" A red bolt shot from the shed, X6 side-stepped it effortlessly. Katherine stood up from her seat on the couch. James suddenly materialized in front of Katherine. He gave her a small smile as he tackled X6 into the wall.

"Impossible." X6 commented.

"Stealth Boy." James bragged. James punched X6, causing his sunglasses to fly off.

"Intruder detected." The synth leader's voice said as it marched into the room. Suddenly it flashed red and fell on its face, its back smoking red.

"Hey, over here!" Preston's voice called from the shed. The synths began firing on the wooden structure. Katherine grabbed her rifle and ran to help Preston.

James punched X6 two more times and raised his fist to throw another one. X6 caught it and began forcing James's hand back. James grunted as he tried to overpower the man.

"Interesting. The Bureau holds no information on you." X6 commented.

"Uh, cool?" James said as he continued struggling. James threw an uppercut with his left hand and X6 shot back. He released James's hand from his iron grip. "Okay, that hurt a lot." James said. He drew his machete and rushed forward at X6. He slashed with the blade, but X6 dodged and sidestepped it. X6 threw a punch at James, but James blocked it and headbutted X6. X6 fell backwards and rolled out of the hole in the house.

James threw his machete at one of the synths nearing the shed. It collapsed as the machete lodged into the synth's spine.

"Additional combatant detected. Calculating." Another synth said. Katherine threw a pule grenade and James leapt for cover. The grenade exploded and James felt himself get thrown into the hill by the force of the explosion. James grunted and stood back up. The synths were down.

"You guys alright?" he called out. Katherine waved at him.

"I can't find Marie!" Katherine shouted at him.

"What?!" James shouted back. He searched the area and noticed a small cave. He made his way there.

"Marie?" James asked.

"Uncle James!" Marie called out to him. James ran into the cave.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Uncle James behind you!" she shouted at him. James turned quickly but X6 threw the first punch. James stumbled backwards and tried to block X6's blows. X6 threw punch after punch and showed no signs of tiring. James then grabbed one of X6's arms and snapped it with his elbow. X6 merely looked at his broken limb, now hanging loose as if it hung by a wire. James threw a punch at X6, but X6 dodged it. James continued to punch at him, but X6 continued dodging blow after blow. X6 headbutted James and ran. James shook his head clear and saw X6 scoop up Marie into his arms.

"Uncle James!" She cried.

"No." James hissed at X6. X6 merely stared coldly at James as he began to be enveloped by a bright blue light. James jumped at them, but phased through them. Then the light was gone. "no. no. no." James muttered. He stood up and saw Katherine and Preston standing in the entryway to the cave.

"They're gone." James muttered.

"James." Katherine said quietly. James walked past her. He tapped his earpiece.

"Morales, I need a vertibird to extract me now."

"Are you sure you want to risk it, sir?"

"Yes."

"Put down your weapons and hands in the air!" A voice shouted over loudspeaker.

"What now?" James muttered. Three vertibirds circled overhead. "No. It's too soon."

"This is the Brotherhood of Steel. Surrender peacefully and you will be treated well."

"Check that, Morales. I need Alpha Team here now."

"Understood. Alpha deployed."


	21. Coastal Cottage Skirmish

"Put your hands up, local. You play nice and we might let you go with some spare parts from these things." A Knight said as he shoved James into the wrecked house.

"James?" Katherine whispered. She stood behind Preston, who glared at the soldiers in power armor not too far from where they were imprisoned.

"Don't worry." James said. "Help is on the way."

"The Minutemen's been scattered, there's no one who could help." Preston cut in.

"I've got something a little better than the Minutemen."

"And what could that be?"

"People with power armor."

"Another private army? Hasn't the Brotherhood already proved that an elitist group holding all the cards are bad enough?"

"I'm not sure I would compare power armor to cards."

"You know what I mean, damn you."

"These guys are with me. I know them, they're good people."

"Hmm." Preston grunted. James stared out at the men and women he once called brothers. He fought with the Brotherhood for years and while he was at the Pitt he always patrolled the streets in his Lyons Pride T-45 suit of power armor. The power armor was what scared the raiders and slavers the most, but the symbol of the Brotherhood of Steel appealed to the slaves. The suit symbolized the struggle of a slave fighting his way to freedom. Luckily, with James's help, Ashur was able to do away with the slave system by 2080 but there was still much work to be done. Werhner organized a second slave revolt that James was tasked to put down. Then the former slavers organized an invasion to retake the Pitt to be their slave capital. James once again was tasked to destroy their "revolution" as well. But through everything he went through at the Pitt, the suit given to him by Sentinel Lyons kept him safe and helped to inspire former slaves to rise up against their would-be masters. He hated to see the Lyons legacy be wasted on the new generation of Brotherhood soldiers.

"Didn't you say you were a Paladin for the Brotherhood, James? Can't you order them to stand down?" Katherine asked.

"You were what?" Preston cut in.

"Not any more. These guys must be new, they don't recognize me." James responded. "And Maxson and I aren't really on the best of terms since the Citadel was destroyed and they abandoned the Capital Wasteland."

"You used to be a part of this group?" Preston shouted as he grabbed James by the collar and shoved him against the wall. "You know what they've been doing to the Minutemen ever since they arrived?!"

"No, I've been gone trying to save your ass from the Institute, remember?" James responded calmly.

"The Institute?" Preston asked as he let James go. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Kellogg told me that the Institute sacked Sanctuary and split up the survivors at various Institute safehouses. They were going to ransom everybody."

"Man, you ain't from around here. That's not how the Institute operates. They want someone gone, they're gone." Preston responded. "Sure a couple synths came sniffing by Sancturay, but the Minutemen were more than ready for them."

"So what happened then?"

"Kellogg must've been working with old intel." Preston speculated. "Maybe that's what the synths were up to. I'd been gathering as many Minutemen at Sanctuary. The Railroad reached out to me and told me that they'd gotten intel about a huge attack on Sanctuary."

"What?"

"Yeah, Deacon came to Sanctuary and warned about some big attack coming for the settlement. He told me we should pack up and go to the Castle for safety."

"The Castle?"

"Yeah, a place that Katherine and I cleared out for the Minutemen while you were gone on one of those trade runs of yours."

"So why didn't you head there?"

"Just cause we cleared the place doesn't mean it's safe. It's much more dangerous there than it is here. Besides, I didn't have enough fighters at Sanctuary to help me keep all of the settlers safe the whole trip down to the Castle."

"How many settlers were living in Sanctuary by the time Kat and I left for the Capital Wasteland?"

"I'd guess about fifty settlers. Only fifteen of them knew how to shoot well enough to be considered guards."

"Were they all armed?"

"No. One of the rules was that they had to store all of their weapons in a centralized armory. Sturges and I converted one of the houses into a makeshift armory and we had Connor look after the weapons."

"So what did happen at Sanctuary?" Katherine cut in. James looked at her. He had forgotten she was standing behind him, listening to the whole conversation.

"The synths teleported in and began shooting. The Minutemen were all armed and ready for them. We must've fought for hours, we were holding our own when the Brotherhood veritibirds came in."

"Vertibirds?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah it was night and practically pitch black. They started blasting at everything with their guns of theirs. When the shooting finally died down they took prisoners. Each vertibird took a family or a few people and then flew off to God knows where."

"They took the settlers?"

"Dunno. They loaded all the children onto one vertibird and flew off in another direction. The took me and some other Minutemen. We were being held at Outpost Zimonga when the synths teleported in. During the confusion Connor helped me escape and told me to hide here, he didn't make it out."

"Well, you can thank Connor for us meeting you here. We found his note telling others that you were here."

"You! Come here." A Knight shouted, pointing at James.

"All right." James sighed as he stepped towards them.

"What is your name, wastelander?" the Knight asked, his voice muffled by his T-60 helmet.

"James."

"That your real name?"

"Sure."

"What were you doing here?"

"Just scaving, y'know looking for junk to sell with one of the trade caravans."

"So far away from the trade routes? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was just wandering, sir. Scaving doesn't need a lot of thinking."

"I'm not surprised, you wastelanders don't think too much, do you?"

"I guess not."

"Well, these things are called synths. You know what they are?"

"Of course."

"I'm surprised, you do have half a brain. Well they are the property of the Institute and I was hoping you could tell me more about them."

"Well, no one really knows for sure."

"Hmm. This complicates things." The knight held out a laser pistol to James's head. "If you don't have any useful information for me, I'm under orders to eliminate any witnesses who are useless to the Brotherhood."

"And who issued those orders Knight?"

"So you know Brotherhood ranks. Why should I tell you?"

"Why don't you check this?" James said with a smirk as he tossed his brotherhood holotags at the Knight.

"You're a Paladin." The Knight commented. "Forgive me, sir. I had no idea. What are you doing here? Don't you know all Paladins have been recalled to the Prydwyn?"

"Let's say I've been out of comms with Maxson for some time."

"Well, that is unacceptable, sir. You know the punishment for such disregard of protocol. You'll have to come with me so I can report this."

"You still have that gun aimed at my head, Knight. If you're going to point a weapon at me, you'd better be ready to shoot."

"Sorry sir." The knight lowered his pistol. "But my orders still stand. I'm placing you under arrest for abandoning your post."

"General?" Morales's voice chirped from the Pip-Boy.

"What is that sound?" The Knight asked.

"Alpha has arrived."

"Hit the deck!" James shouted at Preston and Katherine. James leapt to the side before the Knight could react. James looked up and watched the Brotherhood vertibirds blasted out of the air by two P-80 jets.

"What the hell?" The knight shouted. James drew his shotgun and fired at the Knight. The knight reacted quickly and shifted his head in an attempt to avoid the shot.

"Damn it. Open fire at those things!" The knight ordered. James blasted a few shells to cause the unarmored members of the Brotherhood to find any sort of cover. A black vertibird flew into view, replacing the shiny silver ones that now whirled to the earth below. A flash of blue darted from the side of the vertibird and the Knight's head exploded.

"Armor down, go!" Captain Dusk's voice came from James's Pip-Boy. Two sleek suits of X-02 power armor suits leapt from the sides of the Vertibird and landed on the hill. The weight of the two suits shook the dirt and caused some members of the Brotherhood squad to stumble.

"Armor, use the pulse grenades!" A Brotherhood soldier shouted. James picked up the dead knight's pistol and tossed it to Preston. Preston caught it and started blasting at the Brotherhood soldiers who weren't already hiding out in the shed.

"Take cover, sir. We'll take it from here." Kodiak's voice came from one of the black suits. A picture of a roaring grizzly was painted on the armor's chest and helmet.

"Colvin, hit that building with the gun!" Kodiak ordered. "Glade, get ready to flank it." James shifted the Knight's body to retrieve the laser rifle magnetized onto the armor's back. He wrenched it from the armor and handed it to Katherine.

"You all right?"

"For now." She responded quietly. "The Institute has Marie."

"I know. But she'll be safe for now."

"What?"

"I never told you this, but she's special. She's somehow been born with a mutation that makes her immune from any kind of known mutation. If the Institute's as much the scientists I've heard they are. They'll be looking into that before thinking of harming her."

"How can you be sure that she will be safe with them?"

"I heard an old doctor friend of mine made her way into the Institute. I'm hoping she'll recognize Marie."

"And hoping she'll be there?"

"Well, that too." James turned and watched as the two P-80 jets circled around for a strafing run at the shed. "When did Arcade get the jets working?" James shouted.

"I don't know the details but apparently they've been working since the Enclave first retook the station. But old holotapes some Scribes left behind indicate that the Brotherhood never figured out how to power the planes for long. Arcade found a way to circumvent the problem I guess."

"Or he found a source of fuel."

"Like what?"

"Well, I heard from this one traveler that the Enclave once used an oil rig as their home and base of operations."

"What? That's ridiculous."

"I don't know, this guy seemed like he knew a lot." James shifted his head to avoid a stray bolt of laser. He squeezed a burst from the Knight's laser rifle. Several streams of laser rocketed from the barrel of the rifle in quick succession, forcing the brotherhood soldiers to take cover. Katherine took cover in the house and retrieved her sniper rifle. She loaded a .50 caliber round into the chamber and took her aim. She saw a Brotherhood scribe prime a pulse grenade. She had heard Nate's stories of power armored soldiers coming into contact with Chinese pulse fields. She didn't want to witness what her husband was forced to experience. She carefully aimed and fired quickly. Katherine had aimed for the Scribe's arm, but missed and hit the grenade instead. She witnessed the effects of the pulse grenades on the remaining Brotherhood suits rather than Jame's Enclave.

"Nice shot." Preston shouted.

"Perimeter secured, sir." Kodiak said, his voice amplified by his helmet. He stomped over to James and handed him something that resembled headphones and a neck choker.

"Radio, sir." Kodiak explained. "The techs back at Addams have established long distance comms and these old Enclave radios will help Enclave operatives without power armor to maintain contact with HQ."

"Huh, that'll be handy. Anything else Arcade managed to figure out without me?" Kodiak chuckled.

"Nothing that I understand sir. There'll be a debriefing back at Sanctuary. The Officers have all completed their assignments and are on their way back. What's next from here, sir?" James looked at the bodies around him and saw that a Scribe was still alive, breathing heavily and unable to move.

"War." James whispered to himself.


	22. The Armory

Katherine looked at the mess of buildings and old training yards. The National Guard Armory stood before her, mostly completely intact like she remembered. Nate had driven her our here once. Mostly to talk to some of his old Army buddies but also to show her that in the case she ever had to leave the Vault, she should come here and use his Officer's password to gain access to couple weapons he left in a locker. Katherine sighed as she thought of Nate. She pushed the thought of him away and searched for potential threats through the scope of her rifle. She swept the entire south side of the armory.

"You see anything MacCready?" She asked to her spotter, who searched for targets beside her.

"Couple turrets, maybe some ferals. Hard to tell if the turrets took 'em out or they're just lying in wait for an ambush." He commented. He looked up from his rifle. "Beginning to think the favor I owe that buddy of yours is not enough for a job like this. I'm gonna need to get paid."

"Well, I'm sure you and I can work something out. I've got some caps lying around at home. How about you finish the job and escort me to Sanctuary to discuss payment?"

"That's not how mercs work, lady." MacCready said as he stood from his crouch. "I want to be paid up front. 1500." Katherine looked at him funny.

"For a couple ghouls, MacCready?"

"Hey, if you don't want my help, that's fine with me too."

"I thought you owed James a favor."

"More than one. But all of those combined don't equal combat of any kind."

"Who are you to say what your service is worth?"

"I used to be a Mayor of a town."

"Really?"

"Yeah, so that's my authority."

"But you're not mayor anymore?"

"No." He paused and gave Katherine a strange look. "So what?"

"It means shut up and do the job James hired you for." MacCready mumbled as he slung his rifle and drew a souped-up submachinegun from James. Katherine kept her rifle handy and allowed MacCready to take point. As they made their way towards the armory, both MacCready and Katherine took potshots at ferals that may or may not have been dead as a precaution. Katherine took care to only use his 10mm pistol and made sure to aim carefully for the head to limit her use of ammunition. But MacCready on the hand used his machinegun, spending .45 rounds like no tomorrow at the "dead" ghouls. Katherine took note of MacCready's strange behavior and inherent hatred of feral ghouls, but made no comment.

"So where is James?" MacCready asked after reloading another drum magazine into his submachinegun. He looked up and squinted to see since while the sun began to set, painting the sky in a orange, blue hue.

"He went to check a couple other old military installations."

"Huh, sent his girlfriend out to do something on her own and figured she'd need protection, right?"

"I'm not his girlfriend. And it was because he sent the rest of the Pride to check on other possible sites. He didn't trust anyone else to come with me."

"But he trusted this mutt."

"Dogmeat is my dog, not James's."

"Whatever." Katherine and MacCready took a few more steps before MacCready held out his arm to stop her from continuing. "Turret on the roof up front. You got anything that'll shut it down in one go?"

"Yeah, one of the Enclave guys handed me this." Katherine grunted as she unslung a silver coloered gauss rifle and handed it to MacCready. Maccready whistled and made a small smile as he inspected the weapon.

"You know what, I take it back. I'll call it all even if James lets me keep this gun."

"Well it's my gun." MacCready dropped to a knee and quickly fired a shot. The turret exploded.

"Then I guess I owe you one." Another turret exploded.

"Way more than one, MacCready." Katherine crossed her arms and smiled as she watched MacCready blast one turret after the other into bits. MacCready looked up from the scope, looking satisfied from his work before loading more 2mm rounds into the rifle.

"You mind if I hold onto this for a bit, ma'am?" MacCready asked, giving Katherine a small smile.

"Oh, so it's ma'am now?"

"Hey, any woman with some good hardware deserves some respect, right?"

"So woman without good hardware don't deserve respect?"

"Your words, not mine." MacCready shifted the guns he had slung over over shoulder and pulled up his submachine gun. MacCready inched forward, clearing enemies and checking dead ferals. "You're clear."

"I can take care of myself."

"Not what James thinks."

"And you know what James thinks?"

"Why else would he hire a merc?"

"Maybe it's so someone can make sure you're okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I didn't say that you aren't." MacCready made no comment and continued to clear the area. He drew the Gauss Rifle and blasted another turret to smithereens before searching for another target for the gun. "So what is your history with James?"

"Met him while I was mayor at Little Lamplight."

"Little Lamplight?"

"Small town, run by kids. I was mayor. He was a mungo. Nothing more to say past that."

"Really? That's all?"

"No. But I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay."MacCready held up a fist and Katherine recognized that it meant to stop walking. She searched her immediate surroundings for targets. MacCready crouched and began to play with an object on the ground that Katherine could not see.

"There we go. Mine disarmed, you're cleared." MacCready said, satisfied with his work.

"That's all? Between you and James?"

"Nah, but he ran with the Brotherhood for a while. I recognized him while the Enclave and the Brotherhood basically went to war with one another. Then when I became a mungo, he was already gone."

"The Enclave was bad?"

"I think so, I heard lots of stories about the Enclave. None of them particularly good. Then the Brotherhood started going around different settlements in recruitment drives. I tried joining up, but got kicked out before I could finish my training with them."

"Why's that?"

"I was in it for the money. Still am I suppose." MacCready opened the door to one of the armory's buildings. "Careful, might be more ferals here. MacCready reached into his satchel and produced a frag mine. He armed it and tossed it into the middle of the room. "Here, watch this." MacCready drew a pipe revolver from his hip and fired in a random direction in the room. Katherine heard Dogmeat's growl from behind her, followed by the unmistakable growls and hisses of ferals in the distance. MacCready slammed the door shut and waited by it for a few seconds. Then an explosion shook the ground, MacCready waited for a few more seconds before he opened the door. He backed away quickly, submachinegun primed and ready to fire. Nothing ran out before him. Katherine opened the other door and backed up. Three dead ferals sat exploded into chunks around the first room of the armory. MacCready stepped inside, weary of any possible creaks from the wood floor. Katherine stepped in on the opposite side of the room as MacCready. Dogmeat made no sound as he followed Katherine, suggesting that there were no more threats in the building. MacCready picked up a piece of wood from the ground and tossed it into the main room. Nothing. MacCready looked at Katherine and nodded. He entered the room and began clearing the left side while Katherine did the same for the right.

"Clear." MacCready said loudly.

"Clear." Katherine echoed. No sooner than the words left her mouth that she saw a dead Brotherhood soldier. "Wait, I think I've got something."

"Lemme see." MacCready said. He nudged Katherine out of the way and stepped into the room carefully. "Friend of yours?" He asked looking back at Katherine.

"We just met." She responded. She followed MacCready and entered the room. He began to inspect the body when a strange contraption caught her eye. Katherine grabbed it and looked it over. It looked like a radio transceiver with a large antennae and big red button in the middle.

"Ferals got her." MacCready commented. "Corpse is at least a couple months old with how badly decomposed it is." He began to inspect the soldier's pockets. Katherine tapped the button on her radio earpiece.

"Sturges, I found some kind of transceiver out by the National Guard Armory, Do you think you could fly on over and give it a look?" Katherine waited for a few moments before her earpiece sparked to life.

"Sure thing. Just finished wrapping up the new defense turrents back at HQ, I'll be there within the hour." Sturges responded.

"Thanks." Katherine responded. She looked at the body, MacCready stood and handed Katherine a holotape.

"Found this. We should see what's on it right?" he said. Katherine nodded and plugged the holotape into his Pip-Boy. It whirred to life and began to play the tape. Katherine listened to the tape and realized it was the dying message of a solider left behind. She suddenly felt sorry for the soldier.

"Huh, left behind. Typical of the Brotherhood. So what's that thing you found?" MacCready asked. Katherine handed the object to him. MacCready glanced at it before quickly handing it back to Katherine. "I have no idea what it is. Maybe it's best to let your guy take a look." Katherine nodded in agreement.

"So the Brotherhood is not an organization of mercenaries?" Katherine asked, hoping to pass the time.

"Nah. They what they think is best. While James was with them, there was this old guy who made the Brotherhood actually help people. But then they didn't do so well after he died. Then this new elder took control and the Brotherhood is how you know it today."

"Huh, what happened to the first elder? What changed the Brotherhood?"

"No idea. Remember, I was gone by then. I was recruited in-between the old guy and the new elder so I don't know much. But I gotta admit, I wouldn't be alive today without my Brotherhood training."

"I think James would say something along the same lines." Katherine added. MacCready shot her a small smile. The first genuine one she had witnessed all day. Then the doors flew open with Sturges entering followed by two Enclave troopers clad in X-02 power armor.

"Hey, Sturges. This is MacCready, a merc James hired to help me secure this location." Katherine said as she strode over the Sturges.

"Hey, what's up, man?" Sturges asked. MacCready simply nodded as his response. "So what's this I hear 'bout a piece of tech you don't recognize?" Katherine handed the device to him and he gave a good, long look-over. "Looks to me like it's some kind of radio. Check your Pip-Boy, see if something shows up." Katherine glanced at her Pip-Boy and realized that her hand-held computer had registered a new radio frequency. She activated it and was blessed with a beep sound that came and went in the same pattern, pitch, and tempo.

"It's just a beep?" Katherine asked.

"My guess would be that it's a distress pulse. You're gonna have to follow it to get to where you need to go." Sturges responded.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's investigate!" MacCready said.

"Well, we need to finish what James asked us to do." Katherine responded.

"Oh don't worry about that. Me and the boys will take care of it." Sturges responded. "Need to exercise y'know? Take Niko and Sam, they're still in the vertibird. Good luck!" He said before walking into the building.

"Thanks, Sturges!" Katherine called out after him. She walked to the black vertibird parked in the parking lot of the armory. It was night now and the moon placed the entire area in a cool blue hue.

"Sam, Niko, you two are on me."

"Ma'am." Niko said as he stood from his seat and exited the veritbird. He was not wearing power armor.

"What's the mission, ma'am?" Sam asked, appearing from nowhere.

"Uh, we're investigating a distress pulse. Possibly brotherhood. We have anything in the vertibird that can pack a punch?" Katherine asked. Sam lifted his plasma sniper rifle to his chest and tapped on it before walking ahead. Niko reached into the vertibird and pulled out a belt full of small hand-held radios.

"These are homing beacons for some of the P-80s back at the Mobile Crawler. How long it takes to respond depends on the location of the crawler. Without our X-02s or any other heavy ordinance capable of punching through power armor, these are our best bets." Niko spoke slowly and carefully to Katherine. As if he were not sure that she would be able to understand how important it was that she only used the beacons when absolutely necessary. Niko also reached into his pack and handed Katherine a flare gun. "One of Preston's. These supposedly will call nearby Minutemen to aid us. You are supposed to be General, they will come to you when you need help. The flare serves two purposes, nearby Enclave Operatives will also come to assist you."

"Why didn't I receive one of these before?" Katherine asked. Niko shrugged.

"Beats me. But now you have them. Use them wisely." Niko advised before grabbing his gatling laser and walking ahead to catch up to Sam.

"I didn't know the crawler was fixed." MacCready commented.

"You know what they're talking about?"

"Oh, yeah. The Crawler was a very popular bar made in the ruins of an old Enclave Mobile Crawler. Place was huge and held tons of Brotherhood troops and initiates. It was a kinda low-key thing kept hidden from officers and the elder. Oh man, those were good times." MacCready looked down at Katherine. "You wanna get going?" Katherine smiled and nodded.


	23. The Lost Patrol

James ducked under the power armored and tackled the Brotherhood paladin against a light pole. He slammed his own fist against the T-60 suit's rib cage, hoping that the new tesla upgrades to his own X-02 suit would be enough to stun the wearer. The Paladin punched James in the face, with his helmet catching the brunt of the blow. James stumbled backward, but drew Kellogg's pistol as he did so. He planted his foot to the ground and squeezed off a round at the Paladin's helmet. The Paladin shifted his head, in an attempt to dodge the round. The round grazed the helmet, crumpling an entire side of it. James sprinted forward as the Paladin did the same.

"Preston, I could really use some help here!" James shouted. Preston rolled under the feet of another power armored individual.

"Kinda busy here!" he shouted back. James, Preston and two other Enclave operators stood on top of the bride above the wreck of the USS Riptide. Preston had organized Minutemen to help secure the location for the Enclave to use as a small safehouse. James had come personally to ensure that the location was indeed secure after he had completed securing a military installation located not too far from the safehouse. But then the Brotherhood showed up.

James and the Paladin slammed into one another, hands locking on to different arm pieces of each other's power armor. James attempted to wrestle the Paladin to his feet. James jumped forward in a poor attempt at a headbutt. The Paladin simply leaned back and used James's moementum against him. The Paladin threw James against the railing of the bridge. Before James could recover the Paladin tackled him over the railing.

"Oh shit!" James cursed to himself as he felt himself begin to free-fall. He tapped the red button on his right forearm and felt a stream of power shoot him through the air on his back. He began to right himself in mid-air with the help of his jetpack, but the Paladin was still holding onto James's suit. James fired twice, point-blank range at the Paladin's head. The helmet seemed to be on the brink of being destroyed. James slammed the butt of his pistol and watched the helmet disentigate before him.

"Dammit!" Danse's voice registered in James's ears. Danse's face was covered in blood from the shrapnel caused by his helemt's destruction, but James recognized the face as the one belonging to one of his protégés.

"Danse." James spoke quietly. Danse was clearly on his last legs, half-beaten and nearly unconscious from the fight and taking numerous shots to the head. James could hear the rest of the battle being fought as Preston and the operators engaged the remaining members of the Brotherhood patrol with renewed zeal. James held onto the chest piece of Danse's power armor.

"What? How… How do you know my name?" Danse panted, he was delirious. James sighed and flew up above the bridge. Then he flew above the positions of the Brotherhood patrol and tossed Danse at a Corvega. The power armor absorbed the fall, crushing the crovega itself. James cut thrust to the jetpack and felt himself fall. He landed hard, shaking the ground and cracking the concrete beneath him.

"Get the Paladin, we need to retreat!" The Knight-Sergeant shouted to his subordinates.

"Oh my God, Rhys! Help him!" a scribe shouted.

"I got him, don't worry." James dropped a smoke grenade and began to make his way back to the Riptide on foot. He found Preston briefing numerous Enclave plants and Minutemen guards.

"In a couple days, I want you to send word to Hangman's Alley so that we know that this safehouse is secure. Then we'll have one of our traders stop by and drop off supplies every week while they are on their rounds, any questions?" Preston asked. Nobody had any.

"Okay, dismissed." Preston shouted.

"Sir, yes sir!" the soldiers responded. James clapped or did his best to approximate that with power armor.

"You really seem to be taking your role well, 'Colonel' Preston." James said.

"Yeah, I guess. I can lead a fire team, but big picture stuff…" Preston shook his head. He slung his laser musket and walked over to James. "I prefer to leave that stuff to you and Kat. You know you guys made a real difference around here right?"

"I don't know. Maybe she did. Me? I'm only looking for one thing."

"Revenge?" James nodded. "I get it, man. Who doesn't? But you gotta see that the Enclave is doing good. Minutemen settlements are better protected than ever before. I think this is relationship that will work out very well between two different organizations."

"Whatever, I still think the Minutemen should be absorbed into the Enclave."

"Well, what if the Enclave turns into the Brotherhood? We're gonna need someone to oppose you?"

"That's a huge what-if, Preston."

"Yeah, but still. I don't agree mostly 'cause I've never thought there'd be a problem too big for the people of the Commonwelath. It's tough living out here man."

"I get it, brother. I come from the Capital, so I know a thing or two about tough lives. But still, two organizations doing the same thing is inefficient. Besides it'll cause dissent."

"So what do you suggest?"

"The Minutemen becomes part of the Enclave. They still have a say, but instead about being disbanded, think of Minutemen as being the defense force of the Enclave."

"Go on."

"No Enclave guards. Just Minutemen serving as guards, mainting order, serving as police officers, and so on."

"Huh. And the Enclave troopers then?"

"Think of it like an actual military. But one used when needed. Someone attacks a settlement? The Minutemen are the first responders like always, then the Enclave swoops in as the calvary. But we need it to be organized for it to work."

"Well, General. You'd need to talk to my general before we can talk about integration like that."

"I'm sure she'd be alright with such a discussion."

"Then count me in." Preston smiled and tipped his hat. "General." He added.

"Preston?" Sturges's voice lit up the radio. A vertibird swooped in towards the bridge. Escorted by two jets. James realized something was wrong.

"Sturges? Hey, what's going on?" Preston responded.

"It's Katherine, man. She went investigating on a distress pulse and they found a bunker."

"Okay, what's in it?"

"A Brotherhood Paladin. We lost contact with them after she'd relayed that information to us. I heard some gunfire and it sounded someone'd been shot, with all the screaming." James was already on the vertibird. Preston was on soon after.

"Take us there, now." James ordered.

"Of course, sir." The pilot responded. Morales, who happened to be on the vertibird pressed a button on the side of the circular terminal in front of James and Preston. A hologram map materialized before James. There were lines and different images, one for each operator located all over the map. James noted that the map was of the entire Commonwealth and even a bit more than what his Pip-Boy allowed him to see.

"This is where they are." Morales spoke as he typed into a keyboard, installed next to the terminal. The map suddenly shifted to a local map of an area that James did not recognize. An image of MacCready and Katherine sat on one side of the holographic map while an image of Niko and Sam were more spread out. "We lost contact with them in this location. A P-80 made a quickly fly-over of the location and captured this image. This is how we know of the operators' positions based on their individual IR beacons."

"So what's the problem?" Preston asked. "They're separated and we lost contact. Why the urgency for us?" James nodded.

"Because the P-80 was shot down on the way back with the pilot going missing. They are only a few factions in the Commonwealth capable of shooting down our P-80s. Especially since the P-80s are practically top of the line tech from Pre-War now reintegrated into Enclave Armed Forces. We have reason to be that Brotherhood shot down the P-80 and are en-route to Katherine's position as we speak."

"But we don't know for sure?" Preston asked.

"No, sir. We do not."

"Okay then. What's our ETA?" Preston asked as he walked over to the Pilots' seats.

"Fifteen minutes, sir."

"Okay, tell one of the P-80s to go ahead and get eyes on our operatives. They are authorized to use whatever force necessary to kill anybody if there is reason to believe that our operators are in danger."

"Yes, sir. Echo Forty Two, you are cleared to do some recon of the bunker." The pilot said. James looked out the open side door of the vertibird. He saw the VTOL fly over water and was nearing land full of dead trees. In the distance he could hear other vertibirds in the sky and wondered if they were friendly or hostile. He opened a locker on the verttibird and found a fat-man with six mini-nukes.

"ETA four minutes." The pilot said.

"Showtime." James muttered to himself.

Katherine ducked behind the concrete wall she was using as cover. Red laser painted the wall red with a few flying through the open door.

"Dammit, Brandis!" MacCready shouted. "You're Brotherhood aren't you? Can't you order them to stand down?!" But Paladin Brandis was in no mood to talk or even in a state capable of making decisions. He saw in the corner by the fusion generator in a fetal position. Katherine realized the shooting had stopped.

"Niko?" Katherine whispered insticively into the radio, "Niko, are you okay? Is everything clear?" MacCready loaded the Gauss Rifle with rounds.

"Two shots left. We'll have to make it count." MacCready muttered. "How many fucking soliders did they send anyway?"

Katherine looked through the window and saw at least fifteen power armor suits clanking about. Suddenly a green stream darted from out of nowhere, cleaving a soldier's hand off from his rifle. Katherine ducked and cursed herself as she recalled what had gotten them into the whole ordeal.

They cleared the satellite station with no incident with the help of a P-80 wiping out most of the supermutants there for them. They found the dead scribe's body and distress pulse radio. Then they found Brandis where he shot at Niko and activated the bunker's distress signal. For whatever reason, the Brotherhood not only investigated but also sent three vertibirds to investigate as well. That's when Brandis ran out to greet his old brothers and the Brotherhood began to open fire. Even on Brandis.

Katherine reloaded her assault rifle and realized it was her last magazine. She searched the pockets of her Enclave fatigues but found nothing.

"Last mag." She shouted to MacCready. He reached into his duster and tossed her a full magazine of 5.56 rounds.

"That was my last one too. Make it count." He said to her. Katherine rested her assault rifle on the edge of the window and looked out. Sam fell from his sniping position above the bunker in front of the door. MacCready fired at the Brotherhood with the Gauss Rifle as Katherine dragged Sam inside the bunker. He was unconscious with a red, glowing hole in his chest and abdomen and what appeared to be a third degree just under his left eye. Likely a graze from a laser bolt that nearly took his head. Katherine propped up her gun and began to fire.

"Wait, what's that noise?" MacCready asked. Katherine stopped firing a listened and recognized a high pitched whine. Katherine looked up to investigate. "Oh shit, Fat man!" MacCready shouted as he tackled her to the ground. Then the door exploded and caused the wall to collapse.


	24. Aftermath

James finally stopped firing as Preston's shouts became more and more urgent. His head was clearing and there was nothing left to fight back against the two jets and single vertibrd. Smoking carcasses of Brotherhood vertbirids lay strewn about the fields and near the bunker. Power armor frames and bodies lay near them and lay scattered throughout the battlefield.

"You can stop now!" Preston shouted once more. "There's nothing left."

"Yeah." James muttered. "Yeah you're right." He jumped off the vertibird and landed on the black, charred dirt. "Activate targeting parameters."

"Activated" Eden's voice filled James's head. "The new implant seems to be working well."

"Yeah, well Isabel did an outstanding job." James responded. "She knows her way around robots and circuitry after all."

"Can't argue with that." Eden responded. James began to inspect the dead Brotherhood soldiers and field scribes that littered the field. No Paladins. Just a couple Knights and countless initiates.

"Seems the Brotherhood's on a recruiting drive." James commented. On the HUD in James's helmet, Eden began to highlight bodies in a bright blue outline while the bunker was outlined yellow.

"The new visor program Arcade wrote is functioning perfectly." Eden said. James continued to search for Katherine and the others.

"Anyone here who we're looking for, Eden?" James asked. James noticed the vertibird's signature whir had slowed to a stop. It must have landed.

"None out the bodies we have seen. They put up quite a fight."

"Hmm. I guess Arcade really trained them well."

"And no praise for myself?"

"What do you do anyways, Eden? I haven't heard from you in months." James commented.

"Well between you no longer using Autumn's command suit until now and my work at restoring Raven Rock. A facility you yourself destroyed if I'm not mistaken, I have simply been quite busy."

"Doing what?"

"Restoring the Enclave's research. Countless mountains of data had to be recollected thanks to your first visit." James shrugged. It was a futile gesture, one Eden would not have been able to recognize, but it was instinctive.

"You guys kidnapped me first."

"That was Autumn's decision. Not mine."

"Does it matter?"

"I suppose not."

"So give me a report."

"I count at least forty dead individuals in this area alone. The Brotherhood seems to have invested quite a large number of personnel into this operation." James flipped over a dead Knight. He grabbed the Knight's holotags and snapped it off from his neck. There was a holotape. James injected it into the holotape player port.

"Your mission is to locate the purported 'Sole Survivor' of Vault 111. Paladin Danse seems to believe that she could of use to the Brotherhood in locating and eliminating the Institute. Her companion is a dangerous mercenary, one I knew from the Capital. I want you to take a vertibird and rendezvous with another patrol. Then search the area and when you have located her, radio back in for additional reinforcements." James recognized Maxson's voice giving the orders.

"But why so many for just one wastelander, Elder? If I may ask."

"The Institute seems to be paying special attention to this one in particular. Take as many men as you need. I don't want to be caught surprised by another Institute assault."

The holotape cut.

"Another one?" Preston asked. "That means they've been attacked by the Institute before."

"That does seem like the logical conclusion." Eden interjected. James nodded to Preston.

"They might've been the ones that attacked the Citadel last year." James commented. The bunker was now in sight. James lifted his gauss rifle to his chest. More dead Brotherhood soldiers, but james noticed something white pinned under it. James turned over the dead Scibe and found a robotic skeleton, broken and dented in multiple locations.

"Damn, a Gen 2." Preston said.

"What is it?" James asked.

"You never seen these?" Preston asked, almost baffled. "That's an Institue Synth right there. Tough a hell to kill. Mostly cause these bastards can call in reinforcements from out of thin air."

"What?"

"It's true. I once saw a blue flash and there three more appeared seemingly out of nowhere."

"huh. Eden, what do you make of that?" James asked.

"Currently unsure. It sounds a lot like teleportation. The Enclave once researched a similar thing once after Squad Sigma encountered an unidentified flying object in the Capital Wasteland."

"How'd the Enclave get teleportation from a UFO?" James asked.

"Sigma immediately shot the craft down and found a small green creature. They attempted to arrest it, but an orange flash and it was gone. Autumn believed it meant teleportation so he ordered that the work on such a device be done immediately."

"Did the Enclave ever finish work on that?"

"No. You arrived the week after the order." James arrived in front of the bunker. A crashed vertibird sat in front of it and the front portion of the bunker seemed have to collapsed from some sort of explosion.

"Eden. Scan the bunker." James ordered. "What did this?"

"Though it is difficult to determine what exactly engineered the destruction of the bunker's integrity, an increased rad count from the armor's Geiger counter suggests a mini-nuke was fired on this location. The vertibird seems to have been shot down by small arms fire. Specifically energy weapons."

"I'm seeing a lot of burns and melted metal here, boss." Preston commented. "I'm guessing Energy Weapons. Maybe friendly fire?"

"Unlikely. You search the ruins." James ordered. "Morales, I want Alpha to search and secure the immediate area. No prisoners. Set up a perimeter and then we can call in Bravo with a medical team." James stood in front of the bunker, the steel door remained intact, but the concrete surrounding it was cracked and crumbled. Large slabs had fallen and completely covered the entrance. "Sturges, you get any of that?"

"Yes, sir. I've got Anderson and Tanaka here at Tenpines Bluff, ready to assist. Also by the way, the Pride has completed that job you wanted them to do."

"Excellent. Get them to write up a report at Sanctuary and then I'll debrief them personally when I'm back." James responded. "Morales, get that bird in the air, I want Dusk to provide overwatch for the whole area. See if the Brotherhood is going to send more people this way. Get the P-80s to stop circling the area and return to the Crawler. I think we can handle things on the ground from here."

"Yes, sir." Morales's voice chipped in before the vertibird began to whir again.

"General, I've got a live Paladin here. Badly injured, dead power armor. He's stuck inside, but he's bleeding out."

"I did say no prisoners, right?" James responded.

"Sir, he's wearing Bael's holotags."

"Bael? Are you sure?" James asked. Paladin Bael was one of the men who guarded the front gate of the Citadel. James assumed he had died when the unknown force sacked the Citadel. "Fine. Secure him." James exited his command suit. He took a black tube that resembled a fusion core and replaced the armor's fusion core with the tube. "Eden, I execture sentry command." The armor jolted to life and the helmet's eyes shone a bright blue light. The armor began to patrol the area.

"Are you sure it's wise to have the air support leave and then exit your armor?"

"You know me. I don't do wise." James began to dig through the rubble, shifting concrete slabs one at a time. "That's Arcade's job." James grunted as he tossed an enormous from the front of the door. "This is gonna take a while."

"General!" Preston shouted. "I've got someone here!"

"Who is it?" James shouted back.

"Don't know. I think he's one of your guys!" James stood and jogged to the crashed vertibird. Pinned to the tree by a broken wing was Niko. He bled profusely from where one of the fuselages impaled him through the torso and into the tree.

"Hey, boss." Niko coughed.

"Hey, Niko. Listen help's on it's way, but…" his voice trailed.

"I understand." Niko croaked. "Not in time."

"I'm really sorry buddy."

"No worries. I shot that bird. Ironic that it took me down with it." Niko chuckled. James smiled, but knew from his limited medical experience that Niko was in poor condition to say the least.

"Watch him. I'll deal with the door." James ordered. Preston nodded and knelt beside Niko. James jogged back to the bunker and continued to dig.

"Shouldn't you at least grab a shovel?" Eden's voice filled James's head once more.

"Shut up." James responded. He dug until his hands bled. Then he cursed himself silently for admitting that Eden was right. Then he heard it. A low guttural growl. It was very soft, but James managed to catch a part of it. One word filled his head. Deathclaw.

"Eden. Get the suit back here." James whispered.

"You know, with the implant, you don't need to actually say what you want. You can think it, and I'll know?"

"Shut up and do what I say!" James hissed. The dirt began to crunch in the distance. The DEathclaw was getting clower. James drew his pistol and spinned the chamber. It was Kellogg's. It'd given James a degree of luck for the past month or so. He'd need it now.

In the distance, first the horns popped up, then James saw it's terrible head. He fired and the bullet landed between the Deathclaw's eyes. It wasn't enough. It roared a terrible roar, and stompled on the ground. A shockwave of wind threw James off his feet and he landed with his back against the tail of the Veritbird.

"Deathclaw!" Preston shouted. _Yeah no shit!_ James thought. He aimed and fired once more shooting off one of its horns. The Deathclaw dropped to all fours and crawled in a serpentine fashion. Too fast for James to aim. He rolled to his feet for a better vantage for his target. Then it was too close. It grabbed James by the chest and stared at him. From what he could tell about Deathclaws, this one was an Alpha. But it was different. Most would have just attacked, not slinked silently closer and closer until it could be heard and fired upon. Besides, now that it held James, most deathclaws would have gutted him already. This was once different, familiar.

"Cuddles!" Katherine's voice shot from the entrance to the bunker. There was a large from the piece of concrete that James had removed earlier. James and the Deathclaw both looked at her incredulously.

"Cuddles?" James asked. The Deathclaw lowered James gently and slinked towards Katherine. Digging its head into her shoulder, like a pet rubbing its ears on an owner.

"I've heard stories like this before, man." Preston said. The Deathclaw seemed to be friendly to Katherine, acting more like a cat than a monster of the wasteland.

"Deathclaws named Cuddles?" James asked.

"No!" Preston responded. "Wastelanders who could use their voices to calm and tame creatures. I've never heard of it being done with a Deathclaw, but I've heard that it could happen."

"But Cuddles?"

"Man, what is it with you and that stupid name?!" Preston asked.

"It's not stupid." Katherine responded. "It's perfectly strategic and is a great tactical choice."

"How?!" James asked.

"Well, let's say I command Cuddles to attack a raider. The raider will see Dogmeat with me and assume that Dogmeat is Cuddles. He won't think that the Deathclaw is actually Cuddles. He'll just assume that the DEathclaw will kill me, so he'll try to take out the Deathclaw first."

"Oh so that's why." MacCready said as he crawled out from the bunker, dragging with him an elderly man. "I gotta say, that makes a lot of sense now."

"Don't encourage her." James responded. "Good to see you MacCready."

"Whatever, I'm here for her."

"Who's the guy?" Preston asked, weapon ready to fire.

"Tell him." MacCready ordered.

"My. My name is Brandis. I used to be Paladin in the Brotherhood of Steel. I called them here and they tried to kill me."


	25. Founding A Nation

"Well?" James asked Preston as he exited one of the houses that had been converted into a makeshift prison.

"One guy's still being cut out of his frame and the other is kinda uncooperative." Preston sighed, they walked together to the center common house. The prison had been outfitted with same steel cell doors that had been bolted straight onto the doorframes. Not overly secure, but good enough to serve its purpose. At least two Enclave troopers stood by the cell doors at all times, with another two officers stationed in the living room at all times. All of them live in the prison house 24/7. A heavy machinegun turret chugged and whirred at its post by the hallway and lastly two heavy laser turrets just outside the front door. By Preston's standards, this was more than secure, but Preston is also cautious. "I say we move them to the Castle. A few more days, and they'll talk."

"Well, I'm not so sure we have a few more days." James responded. They entered the center house also known to the settlers and soldiers of Sanctuary Hills as the settlements tactical ops center. Katherine stood over a kitchen table that held countless maps, pens, folders and documents. MacCready stood in the corner, putting on the Enclave fatigues and pieces of combat armor.

"Where'd you get all this kit?" MacCready asked. "I remember hearing that Enclave a lot of shit, but damn. Brotherhood fatigues? Polymer combat armor? All the energy weapons a merc could ever dream of?"

"Well, with some help, we took back Addams. The Brotherhood got a lot of old manufacturing equipment working and hauled there for building the Prydwyn." James responded as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Prydwyn?" MacCready asked.

"Huge airship?" James asked before taking a sip. "Blaring voice of peace of Brotherhood propaganda?"

"Oh that eyesore." MacCready responded before heading to the kitchen area.

"What's up?" Preston asked.

"I didn't realize exactly what the Enclave's plans were for the Commonwealth." Katherine said.

"Oh that's not Enclave. That's some old Minutemen plans."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. Some old stuff from back before you took over. I found them in a box in the basement of the Castle. This is just one box. Haven't gotten to checking some of the others yet."

"They planned on gaining control of all of the settlements through force."

"Yeah, didn't get the memo on that, did we?"

"To say the least." Katherine chuckled.

"Nevertheless, these maps and data will help the Enclave greatly. The Mobile crawler is almost here." James commented. "When it gets here, we'll have some serious ordinance on our side."

"We already do." Preston interjected. "I've made sure the Minutemen have installed and manned at least one artillery gun at every one of our settlements."

"Excellent. But imagine some firepower from the sky." James responded.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, back when I helped the Brotherhood fight the Enclave, they had an orbital gun that rained fire from orbit."

"You're kidding."

"Not at all."

"We're not going to use that are we?" Katherine asked. James looked at her strangely.

"Why not?" he asked.

"That kind of firepower is what's made the Brotherhood like this." Katherine responded. "Overconfident in their military strength. It's what made the US so overconfident."

"But we need to bring down the Brotherhood quickly and efficiently."

"But what happens if the weapon falls into the wrong hands."

"It won't."

"It did before." James paused and thought for a moment.

"Fine, what do you suggest?"

"We get some help from more of the local resistance."

"Like who? We've already got you."

"Ever hear of the Railroad?"

"No." Preston interjected. "No way."

"What? Why not?" Katherine protested.

"They operate underground and only help themselves."

"But they help synths. Free them from slavery." Katherine argued. "It says so here on this holotape"

"Heard that one before." James commented.

"Me too." MacCready said as well from the kitchen. Katherine looked at all of them.

"They have resrouces that we don't."

"Like what?" Preston asked.

"Better knowledge and more experience with Institute than anyone in this room for one." She responded.

"And the other?" Preston demanded.

"If they are pretty much operating undetected in the Commonwealth, then what means they have some experience with espionage, right?" Katherine asked.

"And why's that important?"

"Information, Preston. We have information we can hit the Brotherhood with small strikes." Katherine said. "Until the mobile crawler arrives, we don't have the manpower or the firepower to engage them in direct combat. We have only have extremely limited air support. Four P-80s at the Naval base just south of Boston and a small fleet of vertibirds aren't enough."

The room stood in silence. Preston stared hard at Katherine. Katherine looked at him for a moment and looked at James. He looked back at her, arms crossed and his signature smug smirk worn on his face. MacCready walked into the main room, munching on a mutfruit. He nodded and placed his hat on top of his hair.

"Way I see it, you all know what you're doing in your respective skills." MacCready commented. "Sounds like Kat's got a lot more know-how than James. Surprising really."

"Fuck off." James muttered as he leaned back against the wall.

"But James knows more about combat than anyone in this room except maybe Preston. Hell, if anything's James just has experience and limitless resources." MacCready bit another chunk from the Mutgruit. "Preston knows the area and he knows a lot of people."

"Get to the point, MacCready." Preston growled. MacCready stood next to Katherine as he finished the Mutfruit and tossed the core aside.

"You guys are too used to making your own decisions and living with the consequences. You guys need to figure out a way to discuss all this… shit." MacCready gestured at the maps and at all of them. "Unless y'all want to keep fighting each other."

"Okay then." James cut in after a small pause. "Kat, what's the plan?"


	26. The Old Dog

James stared hard at the old man's face. Lost. Utterly and completely broken. The one thing he was not, was scared.

"Paladin Brandis." James began.

"No need, Paladin." Brandis said abruptly. "No need for the formalities. I remember who you are."

"You do?" James asked. Brandis only nodded.

"I hardly recognized you. You've grown up quite a bit since we last met."

"We've met before?"

"Oh yes, thought I am unsure if you recognized me. We took that satellite tower together."

"Where Prime went down?"

"Where Prime went down."

"Then I am sorry to say that I didn't recognize you." James said gently. "That was one Hell of a battle." Brandis chuckled softly.

"That it was." Brandis smiled.

"What are you doing in the Commonwealth, brother?" Brandis coughed and shifted in his seat. He was inside and improvised cell fashioned out of an old washroom. A naked lightbulb dangled above Brandis's head.

"We were on a routine recon mission. Things went well until we got to West-Tek."

"Feral ghouls get you?"

"Oh yes the commotion attracted a hell of a lot of 'em."

"What happened then?"

"We fought best we could, then some of them Gunners started showing up." James stayed silent. He was getting somewhere with the old man. "Hit us hard. That's when Varham primed a pulse grenade before taking one to the head." Brandis sighed heavily.

"You don't have to continue if you don't want to." James said gently.

"No, I… I need this." Brandis said quietly. James shifted in his chair. Katherine walked over and stepped beside James, placing her hand on his right shoulder. He looked up at her.

"Preston just got back." She whispered. He nodded and gestured for her to leave. To James's surprise, she stayed.

"The pulse grenade detonated and our fusion cores." Brandis continued reluctantly. "We ejected out of our armors. I gave to order to detonate the armors."

"That's when you went for the training yard?"

"Yes. We secured the first building. Astlin assured me she'd be fine alone to secure herself and barricade the location. She insisted we investigate the satellite array. She… We promised to only be gone for a few hours." Brandis said.

"It's okay. We don't have to do this."

"I lost Faris at the array. We were separated. He took a gunshot to the leg and I left him at one of the raider structures. That was when we both received the distress signal from Astlin. I had to choose, do you understand?" James nodded slowly. "I had to choose which of my soldiers was going to live and which was going to die."

"It's okay. I understand."

"I chose Astlin. I was too late. I tried to go back to the array, but some super mutants had then decided to assault the raiders at the array. There were too many… I was low on ammo… I did what I thought was best. I went for the bunker."

"And that's where you've been for the past couple months?"

"Yes."

"And when Katherine found you?" James asked. Brandis looked up and saw Katherine. Then shifted his gaze back to the floor as he fiddled with his fingers.

"I activated my old emergency distress pulse. It's different."

"How?"

"Military-grade encryption. Only the Brotherhood can listen in on it."

"So why all the firepower?" James asked. Brandis cracked his knuckles and looked around the room.

"Insurance."

"Insurance?"

"After the Citadel was destroyed, Maxson decided if the Brotherhood couldn't hold on to its tech then it ought to be destroyed. That's why the new suits are set to detonate after the switch is pulled."

"What about the operators that just arrived? When they die why don't they blow up the suits?"

"Only works when a Paladin is around. Needs to be authorized by Kells and Maxson."

"Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?" Brandis shrugged.

"No idea." Brandis responded. "Been out of the loop for a long time. If anyone knows, it's probably Danse."

"Danse and I aren't really on speaking terms right now." Brandis chuckled.

"Yeah, no shit." Brandis muttered. "Anyways, when your friend barged into my bunker I feared the worst. Activated the damn thing. I was told that a tactical nuke would be deployed from the Prydwyn and it'd destroy my location."

"But the sent a contigent for you. Why?"

"Beats me."

"Maybe you know something Maxson doesn't want anyone else to."

"Maybe."

"You know what that could be?"

"Nope."

"So how can you be useful to me then?"

"Well, way I see it, Brotherhood's got no love for me."

"At least not enough to spare you. So what can you offer to the Enclave?"

"I dunno." Brandis responded. "I remember the Enclave. Never thought you of all people would end up leading them."

"It's not just me."

"Don't matter." Brandis stood up from his chair and walked in front of the cell door. James stood to meet him. "I wanna know if the Enclave's different from the one we fought."

"It is." James responded. Brandis glared hard into James's eyes for a long time. Then he looked down, sighed and went back to his chair.

"The only thing I know how to do is fight, James." Brandis sighed. "There really isn't anything I can offer you outside of combat."

"I understand."

"So if you need another guard or something sure. But I won't fight the Brotherhood for you. Too many brothers and sisters in there that I don't care to fight."

"Don't worry. I'd never ask you to do that." James stood up and dusted off his jeans and sighed as he thought of a job that he could offer to Brandis. "I really wish I could think of something for you, old timer."

"Well, I guess I'll be here 'till you do then."

"Sorry, brother. There anything I can get you?"

"Some coffee wouldn't too bad. Maybe a cigar."

"Aren't you told old to be smoking?" James asked in disbelief.

"Maybe." Brandish shrugged. "Maybe not."

"Alright, I'll see what I can-" James began.

"-How about training?" Katherine interjected.

"What?" Brandis asked.

"Well, you said the only thing you can really do is fight. But you won't fight the Brotherhood. And some of the guys around here aren't ready to see you on guard duty with a gun anytime soon. What if you helped us to train the Minutemen?"

"Why?"

"The Minutemen are citizen soliders." Katherine began. "Barely know how to handle a weapon adeptly." Brandis stared at her and then looked at James. James shrugged and Katherine continued. "Quite frankly, they're not the Enclave troopers that Arcade is bringing in soon. And they're not going to be able engage the Brotherhood in any way, shape or form. But they're all we have."

"Hmm. Why should I help you?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Brotherhood abandoned you. No one in the Commonwealth knows who you are or what you do." James looked at her, she suddenly had taken the offensive on Brandis. "You're a nobody here. But you could be a somebody here. At Sanctuary doing what you love. You could…"

"Enough." Brandis said suddenly. "When do I start?"


	27. The Meeting

"So" Preston began. James stood at the elevator by the mayor's office in Diamond City. "This is it?" Preston asked.

"This is it." James responded. "Are all the delegates here?" Preston shook his head.

"Still waiting on a few." Preston responded.

"Let me know when it's time alright?" James requested he started walking towards Geneva's desk. "Hello there."

"The Mayor is currently busy, preparing for his upcoming speech." She looked up. "Oh… I… I'm so sorry. The mayor will see you now." Geneva blushed as she reached for the button to the door. She wore a grey sequin dress for the special occasion arranged by Katherine. She began to fix her hair as the doors opened. "He's ready for you now."

"Thanks." James smiled. "I love your dress." He said as he walked into the office. Inside was Piper already pestering Mayor McDonaugh with questions. The short man was fixing his bowtie in front of a wall mirror as Piper unleashed her flurry of questions.

"So what is your motivation for this event, McDonaugh? Why host the meeting for the new CPG at Diamond City? Don't you know what happened last time? Are you afraid that the people now think you're a synth? Is that it? You want to disassociate yourself from that reputation? So what is it, McDonaugh?" Piper said quickly, stopping only to breathe.

"One question at a time, Piper. I grow tired of your absolutely relentless questioning." McDonaugh sighed. "You know you're on a short leash."

"That a threat, McDonaugh? Can I quote you on that?" Piper asked as she jotted down notes onto her notepad.

"I wouldn't press too hard, Piper." James said as he stepped into the room. "After all, this is supposed to be a calm, casual event."

"James!" McDonaugh exclaimed, turning around and holding out his palm. James shook the Mayor's hand.

"Mayor McDonaugh. So nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you and your work for the Green Jewel of the Commonwealth." James said with a smile.

"Ah, well. I do try. It can be quite difficult at times with so many pests scurrying around at your feet." He looked at Piper and back James quickly.

"Well, progress isn't for everybody." James smiled and shot a wink at Piper. "Your security detail is waiting for you." James gestured at Preston by the elevator.

"Ah, of course. I'm flattered." McDonaugh said and began to walk out. He placed a formal hat on top of his head and turned suddenly. "By the way, how do I look?"

"You clean up nice, Mayor McDonaugh." James said. The Mayor chuckled and strode out of his office. James turned to Piper. "You get anything?"

"And why would I tell you that?" she responded. "I'm just a pest aren't I?"

"One that has on a beautiful dress, yes." James responded in kind. "Are you going to be busy after?"

"Maybe, lots of people to interview." Piper responded as she tucked her notepad and pen into her hat and made for the door.

"You know, I don't think that that hat really works with that dress." James said as Piper exited the office.

"I only take fashion advice from people who have a good sense for it." She said as she exited the office and got onto the elevator with McDonaugh. "Coming?"

"Not yet. Enjoy the party." James said. He turned to Preston as the elevator lowered itself. They were alone now, Geneva had left with McDonough and Piper. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

"Still waiting on the delegates from Goodneighbor. Valentine is here to help make sure the Institute doesn't stick their noses into the meeting this time. Guest of honor has just arrived with her bodyguard. We have troops patrolling the perimeter of Diamond City with our P-80s on standby for any Brotherhood threat. I think we've covered just about everything."

"I'd like to think so, but you know how plans work."

"No plan really ever works out the way you really want it to right?"

"Precisely." James said as the elevator came back up, with Nick Valentine himself riding it. He was dressed in a clean black suit, but still kept his detective's hat. It was clean and a dark shade of faded black. He lit a cigarette as the elevator slowed to a stop.

"James." He grumbled.

"Valentine." James responded in kind. The two didn't like each other very much. James had no idea why but it was as if Valentine suspected James of something.

"How's the party?" Preston asked.

"You know me, I'm not really one for these black tie events." Valentine puffed. "Market's full, people are starting to take their seats. I don't think I've ever seen the green jewel so filled with people." Valentine commented. He looked at James. "Nice tux, by the way." James nodded.

"Anything out of the ordinary?" Preston asked.

"You tell me." Valentine responded with a puff of smoke. "The synths the Institute pumps out these days can even fool their mother. I try to do what I can from the folk that live here, but with all these strangers comin' in for the CPG meeting." He paused. "I'm just not sure."

"Either way, we have plenty Minutemen plants in the crowd and assisting the local guards." James added.

"Sure that's enough?" Valentine asked.

"It'll have to be." James responded. "Shall we?" The three took the elevator down and James could see it. A huge festivity with people running around, talking, and having fun. The vendors were definitely having a great time. In the crowd, he could a spot a couple TSC officers making their way around. They always did stick out in a crowd. James fixed his collar as the elevator slowed once more. A Diamond City guard opened the gate for the three men and said

"Enjoy the party, folks."

James made his way to the market. The vendors were out selling their wares. Only difference as compared to a normal day was that they were all cleaned up and dressed nicely. Katherine insisted that this event be made formal and suits required. To her, presentation was everything since this event was meant to reflect the Old World. James smiled at all of the people who had bothered to show up with actual clean suits and tuxes. James was lucky, he brought his own tux from the capital. Katherine had to go searching around for a "good" dress. But she wouldn't tell James what kind or even what color it was.

"Hey, everybody the party's here!" a ghoul's voice broke through the crowd. Hancock and his posse of ghouls began walking down the catwalk.

"What is this?!" McDonaugh exclaimed, outraged. He began to stride towards Hancock. James caught him by the arm. "James?! What in the world do you think you're doing?"

"Mayor McDonaugh, I recognize that Diamond City has a special policy on ghouls. But since this is a private event for invitees only, I'd say it be much more beneficial for you to allow the members invited to enter your city which has graciously decided to host my event."

"James, I don't want to offend you, but what about my constituents?"

"Remember what I said? Invitees only to my event. I paid for everything after all. Even paid off those upper stands people to seal their lips."

"You…" McDonaugh stammered. "You did what?"

"Well I made them an offer they couldn't refuse."

"And what was that?"

"Ah, sorry, Mr. McDonaugh. Consumer confidentiality. But I do implore you to allow the members of the new CPG to enter so long as they have an invitation."

"Fine. But if I hear any complaints-"

"You can just talk to me and we'll smooth things over together."

"I have your word?"

"Of course." Mayor McDonaugh stared at James and looked at Hancock, back at James and then stormed off in a hurry.

"Whoa." Hancock said from behind James. James turned to face him and a few more of his friends. "Do my eyes and ears deceive me? Did you talk the Mayor McDonaugh into letting some ghouls into his city?" James simply smiled. Hancock threw an arm around James and led him towards the makeshift barstand that Vadim Bobrov had set up. "I think I owe you a drink!"

"No, it was all I could do, really."

"No seriously, man. This is a huge honor. Nobody's ever taken Goodneighbor serious before. And this CPG you're setting up is actually considering letting us have a say?!" Hancock made an explosion noise with mouth with his hand making an explosion gesture by his head. "I really don't know what to say. I just wish I was, y'know, in on the deal from the beginning. You know what I mean?"

"Not really, no."

"Well, let's just say I want an... administrative position in the CPG." Hancock suggested.

"I'm afraid it's out of my hands." James responded.

"What do you mean?"

"I only faciliatated this event with Diamond City's help. I only paid for it. This initiative is someone else's idea completely."

"huh. Go figure." Hancock responded. "So let's say Goodneighbor joins up. We have an alliance between major settlements going on. Then what?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what's the next step? I wanna know if the CPG really is gonna end up being for the people instead of McDonough's dictatorship. You feel me?"

"I guess."

"Mister James, sir." Codsworth said as he approached with an aluminum tray full of alcoholic beverages. "Here is a whiskey. Compliments of the man standing over there." James looked over and saw him. X6-88 leaning against one of the columns that help hold up power noodles.

"I'm very sorry, Hancock. It was nice meeting you, but I need to attend to something real quick."

"No hard feelings man." He responded. James fixed his coat and strode over to X6, who wore a sunglasses despite it being nighttime, a blazer over a white collar shirt and slacks.

"Mr. James." X6 said with a smirk as if amused.

"X6-88." James responded. "Or is it just X6? I can't really tell difference. It's not exactly a good name."

"No, I admit that it is not." X6 said crossing his arms. "Nice… party you have going on here."

"To what do I owe pleasure?" James asked.

"I am not here to cause violence. Just to observe."

"What exactly?"

"A particular person of interest to the Institute."

"And who is that?" X6 handed James a holotape. "What is this?"

"Play it." James loaded the holotape into his Pip-Boy.

"Hey, is this thing on?" Marie's voice sparked over the pip-boy's speakers. James felt relieved, but consigned himself to show no emotion on his face in front of X6.

"I don't know." A boy's voice came next. "Is it, Father?"

"Of course, Shaun." _Shaun? Don't tell me that's?_

"Okay then. Good morning, sir. I am Shaun. Nice to meet you."

"Hi Uncle James!"

"I have befriended your niece and wished to let you know that she is safe here at the Institute."

"It's so clean here!"

"She has told us much about your exploits in the waste, your experience with technology. We at the Institute wanted to welcome you into our scientific family. You will always be welcome here at a place for forward thinking like-minded visionaries like yourself. Your intelligence will no longer be consigned to be wasted on the low intelligence population of the Wastes. You can live here. Safe. With your niece. Knowing that she will always be safe. Should you wish to join us. Simply play the second holotape and a courser will find you and take you to the Institute." X6 handed James a second holotape, blue in color. There was a long pause.

"Is that all, Father?"

"Yes, that is all." Then the holotpe cut off.

"Why the kids?" James asked abruptly. "Why not someone else? Why didn't you tell me this yourself?" X6 shrugged.

"It is not my place to question Father's decision." He responded simply.

"Father?"

"Ta-ta." X6 walked around the corner. A blue flash later and he was gone.


	28. Election Year

"Are we done yet?" MacCready asked impatiently. Katherine ignored him as she tied his bowtie for him. She finished it and walked into the Home plate's bathroom where she fixed her hair. "It's been two hours!"

"Not long enough, MacCready." Katherine responded. MacCready groaned and began pacing the floor. Katherine walked out and gestured to herself. "Well? How do I look?" MacCready, who was laying on the couch, crumpling his tux, looked Katherine up and down a few times with his eyes, mouth open.

"Uh, do I have to be professional with my response?" he asked. Katherine threw a dishrag at him and walked up to the stairs to her room. She clipped on her Pip-Boy despite the bulky object not fitting her outfit or the event at all. She was at Homeplate, a house smack dab in the middle of Diamond City. So while everything was going on just out her front door, she was getting ready. Katherine cursed herself as she pocketed a snub barrel .44 pistol into her hidden holster. James had purchased both items and insisted that she wore it at the event.

Katherine thought back to the inception of this meeting.

"Hold on." Preston said. "The CPG? Do we need to make a country here?"

"To be able to effective engage the Brotherhood, yes. If the Commonwealth declares itself a sovereign nation, then the Brotherhood's actions will become severely limited within our borders." Katherine responded.

"Wait that's how a country works?" James asked. Katherine gave him a strange face and nodded.

"And if they don't respect the borders and do whatever they want anyways?" Preston responded.

"Then it would be considered an act of war."

"So what?"

"Then we can mobilize the Minutemen and get settlement support."

"We have artillery."

"And they have vertibirds, power armor, and most of all manpower."

"We have those things too."

"The Enclave troops here are extremely limited. Besides Sanctuary and a few safehouses, we don't have anything. The Enclave is spread thin. The P-80s aren't going to be able to do much when the Brotherhood starts deploying troops en-masse rather than the isolated patrols we've found so far. Not without support from the Mobile Crawler."

"How far away is that?" Preston asked.

"Eden says that it has just left the Pitt after helping to rebuild a few things and setting up a small outpost there." James responded.

"How long will it take to get here?" Preston demanded. James shrugged.

"Depends on what they encounter. Even Eden doesn't really know. Maybe a year?"

"Jesus." Preston muttered.

"So we need to set something up in place of a huge military organization. The CPG."

"But everyone knows that the last meeting was sabatoged by synths. What'll make it different this time?" MacCready interjected.

"They'll have the Minutement and the Enclave." Katherine responded.

"Alright, fine. But we can't really just host it in Sanctuary. This place's perimeter is still too soft to repel an invasion. We only have about thirty or forty people living not including the troops patrolling the area. Where can we host the meeting?"

"What about Diamond City?" James asked. "It's the safest place around and everybody knows about it."

"You know that's going to be expensive right?" MacCready asked.

"Well, if it's money we need then no problem. I can get us the venue." James said.

"How?" Katherine asked.

"I own most of the trading caravans that travel through this place. I can probably get them pool their caps together to give me my cut and I think I know how to influence the Upper stand residents to lend a hand." James responded.

"What do you plan on doing?" MacCreaedy asked.

"I think if I steal the deeds to their property, they'll be more than willing to lend some money to prevent me selling their houses to some poor needy folks." James responded.

"Y'know. I always thought the Lone Wanderer was a good guy." MacCreaedy commented.

"Well, I'm doing it for a good cause. What's a crime or two in the process right?"

"How many caps you got just for the caravans around here?" Preston asked.

"Dunno. Never counted. Too many to worry about."

"How did you come to own these caravans?"

"Made a couple deals while I was at the Pitt. Made a lot of friends. Can we move on?"

"So we get a CPG so what then?" Preston asked.

"Then we get them to starting funding an army."

"To do what? Now there's going to be another army?"

"What? No." Katherine exclaimed. "They send recruits and caps to the Minutemen. The Minutemen gets big and well-trained. We'll use the caps to upgrade Minutemen equipment. Then we make a show of force."

"Doing what?" Preston asked.

"We take out the Gunenrs, eliminate a couple raider gangs. Show them whose boss. Build up some confidence in the CPG. Then, once things are stabilized. We start dealing with the Railroad."

"Why all that preamble just to deal with Railroad?" MacCready asked.

"Because they've been hit hard and they're hurting right now." Piper said walking in suddenly with Nick Valentine.

"I looked around a bit. Found their headquarters at Slocum Joe's. Whole place is crawling with Gen 2s."

"Railroad's gone underground. More so than usual." Piper said. "I think they've been hit harder than they ever have before. They're vulnerable so they aren't going to trust anybody walking up to them."

"I've also tracked them to the Old North Church. While in there I found a secret door. But I can't figure out the code." Valentine said.

"That means until the Railroad comes to us, they're going to be out of contact." James concluded.

"Thanks, Nick." Katherine said and smiled.

"What about me? I worked too!" Piper protested.

"Just be glad we got out of there alive." Nick responded.

"Alright, fine. I'm convinced." Preston said solemnly.

"That took a lot of convincing. Didn't you say I'm the general of the Minutemen? Why do I have to explain everything?"

"I just don't want to put all our cards on the table like the last guy." Preston responded. "I don't want the Minutemen to fall again.

"We won't." Katherine responded. "This will work."

"Now we just need to decide on the date." James interjected.

Katherine blinked as she stood on stage before everybody. MacCready stood by her side, glaring at the crowd. Currently, McDonough was giving a speech at the microphone. Katherine saw all kinds of people in the crowd as she looked at them. She was onstage with other leaders of various settlements. Then it was voting time.

"Goodneighbor votes yes."

"Abernathy Farm. We vote yes."

"Coastal Cottage says yes."

"Diamond City says yes."

"Jamaica Plain says yes."

"Croup Manor votes no."

"Nordhagen Beach votes yes."

"Covenant votes no."

"Taffington Boathouse says yes." Katherine stepped to the center microphone.

"Sanctuary Hills votes yes." And the list went on.

"15 yes and 10 no. That's a majority." Katherine announced on the microphone. "The CPG is officially a sovereign nation."


	29. Ultimatum

On the rooftop of Homeplate, she could see everything. People were having a good time. Enjoying themselves for once. Katherine hadn't seen that in a long time. It reminded her of the Pre-War times. Back before everything went to shit. She smiled knowing that she had a hand in helping to from the CPG. The only step left was to have their first meeting at Santuary Hills. That would be were the CPG would make their first decisions on how to proceed with making the territories within its borders safe. Only issue was forcing the Brotherhood to recognize the borders. In the distance she heard gunfire and the sound of vertibrids flying overhead. No doubt a Brotherhood patrol or a trader in a pinch.

Katherine sat down on a lawn chair and sighed. She looked up at the moon. It was full that night. A shining beacon of light in the midst of the surrounding black darkness. She thought of Nate. Shaun. Katherine wondered if Shaun was even still alive. Kellogg's memories show that Shaun is at least ten years old. That's ten years of wasted time. Ten years she didn't get to spend with her child. She wondered how Nate would have reacted. How Nate would have adapted to the terrible world that replaced her home.

"It's quite a view." A voice said behind her. Katherine sat up immediately. She recognized the man. "X6-88. Just call me X6." He walked closer to her and placed a hand on her chair. "Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you." Katherine stared forward. She searched the crowd for James hoping that he'd come looking for her. For whatever reason that was her first instinct. She searched each face, scrutinizing them in the distance. Hoping that she could catch a glimpse of him.

"What do you want?" Katherine asked. She hoped to stall and buy herself some time.

"Just to talk." X6 replied calmly. Almost robotically. He was still looking up into the sky, watching the full moon. He looked down at her. "Is that all right with you?" She didn't respond.

"I've come to make you an offer." X6 began. "The Institute has taken an interest in you." _Interest? What's that mean?_ "You should feel proud. Few people of surface get such an honor."

"And why would I be proud to have been recognized by the Institute?"

"Well, as much as they like to believe it, the Institute does not kill people and replace them with synths very often." X6 claimed. "Only if necessary."

"And necessity makes it justifiable?"

"Perhaps." X6 responded. "Perhaps not. Morals and ethics are not important to me. I am a courser. My job is retrieve synths you see."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing. But there is a war coming. The Institute is recalling all coursers and is hoping to protect their persons of interest."

"And why is that?"

"It is Father's wish."

"Who's Father?"

"He is the director of the Institute."

"That's not what I asked."

"But it is the answer you shall receive." Katherine paused and thought for a moment.

"What's your offer?"

"I will take you to the Institute and we will in turn release the girl."

"Which girl?"

"I believe her name is Marie."

"And Shaun?"

"Who?"

"My son."

"Hmm. I'm afraid that name is not known to me. You'll have to ask Father."

"What makes you so sure I'd accept?"

"Because if you don't, she will die. The Institute is done with her. They've conducted all the tests they could possible conduct. They have all the information they need from her. They only need you now."

"Why me?"

"Does it matter? It is Father's will."

"I need to think about this."

"Of course. Take your time. You'll have 24 hours. Then I will come find you." Then a blue flash. Katherine drew his .44 but he was gone. The door slammed open and James ran through it searching for something. He saw Katherine and lowered his guard.

"Sorry." He said before turning around to go back down the stairs.

"No wait. Don't go." Katherine asked. James stopped and faced her.

"I met someone from Institute just now." Katherine began. "He was the guy from Coastal Cottage."

"X6."

"Yeah."

"He made me offer."

"Me too."

"Really?! What did they say?"

"He gave me a holotape. Telling me that Marie was safe and that she'd stay that way as long as I joined the Institute." Katherine paused. That was completely different from what X6 had just told her. "What did he tell you?"

"They said that they would release her so long as I joined them and cooperated with them. I have 24 hours to think about my response."

"That's not a lot of time then." Katherine looked down at the Market where people were having fun. She began to despair. Asking herself: Why can't anything just go right? Why does everything have to end badly for her? James walked over. "It's quite a view."

"It is, isn't it?" Katherine responded instinctively. Despite having just been threatened, Katherine was calmed by James's presence. "What should I do?"

"I don't know." She looked up at him. He was still looking up at the moon. "I think whatever happens, it's your choice. It's your story after all."

"What do you mean?"

"X6 told me that he was here on a mission to observe you. I'd bet that he's still around. Watching your every move."

"Then that would mean…."

"Yup. You're the only one they care about. I doubt I'd be kept alive if I went alone."

"But what about Marie?"

"She has you."

"What?"

"They won't kill her because she's too valuable. It doesn't matter who they are or how advanced their tech is. She is a living cure to the wastelands mutations. A week is not nearly enough time test anything extensively. They're bluffing."

"And if they're not?"

"She has you. They won't do anything to her so long as she is a part of the equation on whether or not you will cooperate."

"And if I don't?" James looked at her and paused.

"I don't know."

"What are we going to do, James?"

"The better question is what are you going to do, Katherine." She looked back at him.

"All of this," he gestured to the market. "was you. You initiated it, you arranged it, hell you even got it to work. They've got a meeting set for two days from now and the delegates are already discussing what to do about the Minutemen. They're all inspired by you."

"They are? No."

"I am inspired by you. I traveled all this way to try to learn what unified groups of people into a nation like the Pre-War America. I was never able to figure it out. That's why I didn't succeed back home in the Capital. But you, you're the answer."

"We couldn't have done it without you thought, James. Give yourself some credit."

"No." he shook his head and stuffed his hands in his slacks. "We wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you." He looked back about the crowd and back at her.

"So whatever happens and whatever you decide. I'll back you up. I think you're better fit to lead everything than I am. I just know how to talk and a bit on how to fight."

"Even the Enclave James?"

"I'll be like Arcade. Advising, maybe a little leading, but you're doing most of the work."

"Why?"

"Cause like with anything, once I'm done here, I'll leave. After it's all over and there's nothing left of value here to me, I'll go. I don't know where, but I know I'll leave and I won't come back for a long time. That's why no one cares about the Lone Wanderer anymore. At least not in the Capital."

"That's not true, James."

"It's true to me. That's all that matters. So before we finish this, I just want you know that we'll finish this together. That sound alright to you?"


	30. CPG Bureaucracy

"You know, I don't think you should be doing this." MacCready commented while Katherine snapped on her personal combat armor pieces one at a time in the Vertibird.

"Duly noted, MacCready." She responded. "But the CPG wants eyes-on reports on the Minutemen's progress against the Gunners."

"But flying a vertibird around Gunner's plaza is not really a smart move. You know that their small arms are more than enough to down one of these." MacCready responded.

"Then I suggest you make sure they don't get that chance, right MacCready?" she smiled back at him. She stood from the vertibird's seat and walked to the cockpit. "How long?"

"ETA in 5, ma'am." The pilot responded. The CPG had made significant progress in two weeks. They had repelled the raider gangs around Bunker Hill and made most trade routes secure, after an overhaul of the Minutemen war machine. There were few confrontations between the Minutemen and the Brotherhood of Steel, but most of them never moved past harsh words thrown at one another. Katherine looked over the brown hills and cracked highways that her vertibird flew over. She could see lines of Minutemen marching towards Gunners plaza, wearing combat armor and wielding sniper rifles and laser weapons. The Minutemen was mostly limited to what traders had available now, and with so many settlements collaborating together, there wa high demand for laser weapons. The only two organizations that held more were the Gunners and the Brotherhood and Katherine wanted to avoid as much confrontation with the Brotherhood as possible.

James had essentially disappeared while looking for the Railroad. He had been missing for over a week and the CPG disciplinary committee had been formed to decide whether or not to try him for disubordination. Which Katherine herself did not understand since he only dropped out of contact two days ago and that such a committee was being formed too quickly to punish what was not a small issue. Katherien concluded that politics, as always goes straight to name-calling and finger-pointing.

"We've arrived at the LZ ma'am." The pilot responded.

"Remember, we're only to observe. This is a transport variant, not the gunship." Eden's voice spoke from the vertibird's speakers.

"Any word on James?" Katherine asked.

"Nothing yet, Miss Katherine." Eden responded.

"What's going on down there?" MacCready asked. Laser fire exchanged between both sides. Gunners fired from turrets and barricaded positions, while Minutemen scrambled for any sort of cover that was available. "Sounds like our guys are getting pounded."

"It would seem that previous intelligence regarding the Gunners was incorrect. They are much more fortified than previously thought." Eden responded.

"So what's the response?" Katherine asked.

"Preston has called for air support and reinforcements. The P-80s have already been dispatched but to assist the Mobile Crawler with something. Some kind of raid on it. It has just passed New York and will arrive in a month or two. Arcade wants to take his time with the crawler."

"Noted." Katherine responded. "So what are the reinforcements? When are they coming?"

"I wanted to try a different approach than convetional reinforcements. They should arriving just now. Look to your right." Eden suggested. Katherine opened the right sliding door and saw a line of five vertibirds, one a gunship and the other four transports. The transport variant had been modified to carry more troops, so it was elongated and had four rotors rather than two. Hanging under each transport vertibird was an enormous cage.

"What's in the cages?" MacCready asked.

"A test." Eden responded. The gunship opened fire and rained missiles and machinegun fire at the Gunners' positions. The laser fire from the Gunners stopped for a few momements as the fleet passed, Katherine's vertibirds. The transport vessels quickly stopped and hovered over the plaza while the gunfire twirled in 180 degrees and continued firing. Then the winches connecting the cage to each vertibird was released and the cages dropped. The doors flew opened and a deathclaw crawled out from each cage.

"You caught deathclaws in cages?" Katherine asked. MacCready laughed as the deathclaws began to mow through Gunner lines.

"It was always possible. The Enclave has been doing it for years. We just wanted to attempt at controlling them with our control collars. But they've never quite worked the way we wanted them to." Eden said simply.

"These control collars work?" Katherine asked.

"Perfectly." Eden responded. The deathclaws made short work of the Gunners while members of the Lyons' Pride began to jump out of the rear bay of the vertibirds wearing X-02 Advanced suits of power armor. Some even wore the Tesla variant that James has discussed with Preston.

Katherine smiled. Things were looking up for the Commonwealth, slowly, the people were taking back the land. With some help from the Enclave.

"Thank you for showing up on such a short notice." A woman's voice said in the dark.

"No problem." James responded. He was in some sort of cellar and the lights were shut off.

"You've proven yourself worthy of our cause." The woman's voice spoke again and two construction lights were flipped on, momentarily blinding James. "Welcome to the Railroad."


	31. Safehouse Down

"What do you see?" Katherine's voice came from the earpiece. It lay on the concrete floor, surrounded by rubble. Abandoned by Its owner and surrounded by crashing boots and metal feet.

"Clearing area, sir." A muffled electronic voice resounded through the safehouse's crumbling brick wall.

"They call this place Hangman's Alley." An unfamiliar voice spoke suddenly. Mark, the site operator of Enclave Safehouse 00e4ab groaned as he attempted to sit up. He looked at the stump that was his left arm seconds ago. He coughed, adrenaline causing blood to pump through his veins and arteries causing his head to pound. A concrete slab sunk itself through Mark's knees. He attempted to sit up to move the slab. A man walked in, saw Mark and smashed the butt of his rifle against Mark's jaw. Mark fell to his back, vision blurry and pounding head.

"Sir, I've got one here." The man said. Mark coughed once again as the dust settled and his vision began to clear. His arm was now throbbing with an indescribable pain. Mark looked to his left and saw the empty blue eyes of a fellow Enclave operator. The man's head was cracked open, likely by the fallen concrete column that lay on top of his torso. Some heavy footsteps later, Mark turned to his let and found dirty, brown leather boots. He looked up at a face he knew too well.

"Maxson." Mark croaked. Maxson dropped to a knee and sighed. He inspected Mark's left shoulder and fondled the Enclave patch that Mark wore proudly on top of his officer's uniform.

"So the Enclave has returned." Maxson whispered. "To the Commonwealth, no less. This can't be an accident." Maxson grabbed Mark's officer tags. A small plastic sheet worn around Mark's neck, acting a sort of dog tag. "Mark." Maxson nodded as he scrutinized the tag. "I am sorry you came under fire from our attack. We were tracking a high-tech radio signal that we've associated with the Institute. And now it seems we have found you thanks to that." Mark grunted as he instinctively attempted to reach for his pistol; only to discover that he could no longer reach it due to his lack of a right arm.

"Prepare a vertibird. We're taking this one with us." Maxson sighed. He tapped on Mark's shoulder. "You'll be in good hands, Mark. You're with the Brotherhood now."


	32. The investigative Process

Katherine strode in past what was left of the wooden junk fence that served as feeble protection. It was left mostly in order to maintain cover as a raider camp. A decision that proved fatal for six operators left to maintain the safehouse. James insisted such locations would be required for intelligence purposes. This would assist in the Pride's secret operations. Operations ordered, sanctioned, and carried out with Katherine's knowledge. The Pride was loyal to only one person: James. Consequently, they never did anything without consulting James first or without having been given instruction by James personally. Luckily, Katherine had her own cabal of loyal followers to rely on.

MacCready stood, weapon drawn by a dead gen 2 synth. Katherine acknowledged it with a nod and moved on. Piper and Nick huddled around a stove and compared notes over a draped body. Dogmeat sniffed the area on Nick's instruction, possibly to investigate a lead. Multipls Enclave troopers in suits of X-02 advanced power armor, patrolled inside the ruins of the safehouse and out.

"Nick, what can you tell me?" Katherine asked pulling up the cloth cover of the body.

"Well, I'd say some sort attack took place here." Nick said as he pointed out various signs and evidence support his claim. "Burns marks in a circular pattern are common with Synth sightings." He said as he pointed out the markings. "Corroborates what you saw in Kellogg's memories."

"Teleportation." Katherine affirmed. Nick led Katherine and Piper to another room.

"Preston tells me this was installed after he and James secured it." Nick pointed a concrete alcove dug into the foundation of a neighboring building. A HAM radio and numerous cardboard boxes of folders and files. Katherine flitted her eyes around the alcove. Nothing in particular set it apart from other radio alcoves that she and James installed.

"What makes this one special?" Katherine asked.

"That's the thing. I have no clue. You friend's a real secretive guy." Nick commented.

"Wow, Nick Valentine, stumped on a case." Piper said sarcastically. Nick ignored the comment and continued.

"If the Institute came here, there's gotta be something of value to them."

"Or maybe, they came here by accident." Katherine responded.

"What makes you say that?" Piper asked.

"At the CPG gala, James and I ran into an Institute Courser." Katherine began.

"And you two lived to tell the tale?" Nick said. "Strange that the Institute would have gone to such direct methods to contact you two."

"Interesting to note that the Institute has taken such an interest in anybody without replacing them." Piper commented.

"You're right." Nick responded. "Most would have been replaced already with the amount of attention you're getting. I wonder why you're receiving the special treatment."

"Maybe it has something to do with the Brotherhood's arrival?" Piper offered.

"No, with the amount of the Institute has and the resrouces they have at their disposal, I'm sure the Brotherhood wouldn't even be on their radar." Nick responded.

"Then why?" Katherine asked.

"Does it matter?" MacCready pitched in, dragging the synth body behind him. "Point is they were here. Point is, they got in. Look at this place." MacCready dropped the synth and picked up a few burnt pieces of wood. "James's guys didn't even put up a fight. Like they weren't expecting it."

"Well, isn't that typical of an Institute attack?" Piper inquired. "fast, overwhelming? I assumed most sites are like this."

"The Enclave's one of the best fighting forces around. Used to be better than the Brotherhood." MacCready responded. "If James really did his research and did a good job. Maybe apply some of the stuff he got from the Brotherhood. They should've been able to put up quite the fight." MacCready looked around and tossed the wood pieces back. "Nothing. Just one dead synth and a bunch dead operators."

"Like someone wanted this to look like an Institute attack." Katherine concluded.

"Makes sense." Valentine commented. "But why?" Valentine knelt by the desk and picked up an earpiece.

"Earpiece?" Piper asked. "What good does that do us?"

"All the bodies have theirs on them." Valentine mused. "There was another person here. Someone we didn't account for."

"If we find them we can ask them exactly who did what."

"Right." Valentine responded. "Only problem, no leads."

"I might be able to help with that." an unfamiliar voice said from behind the group. A bald headed man walked through the junk door, carrying an old, beat up Pip-Boy 3000a. He must have had it tuned to some radio frequency because a voice was talking from it.

"Who're you?" MacCready asked.

"Nathan Hale. Courier from the Mojave Express."


	33. Plans and Espionage

"Do you really think you could get it working?" Deacon asked.

"Of course I can." James responded instinctively. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he could. He sat down beside the Lone Wanderer motorcycle that Deacon had picked out Concord. Deacon said he always wished he could try riding a motorcycle and James offered to repair one for him. He'd learned how to repair the vehicle back to relative working condition from Ashur, but he'd never done it on his own before.

"Oh man. That'd be wicked." Deacon said as he leaned against the wall of the Red Rocket Garage. The doors had been locked and the garage was sealed to prevent interruptions from Enclave and Minutemen personnel from walking in on Deacon and James's "secret" meeting. "Riding down the highway on one of these bad boys. That'd probably scare the shit out of some raiders."

"Yeah, well that's assuming I can get the thing to work."

"I have every confidence in you, man. I've heard about all the things you've done." Deacon whistled and paused for a moment. "If I had a week, I wouldn't be able to list all of the things you've done for people out in the wastes. You're a real hero!"

"No, nothing like that. Just a guy with a moral compass."

"Whatever you say, man." Deacon grabbed a mutfruit from a basket next to James's X-02 suit and munched on it. "Anyone who sets up the CPG and actually gets it to work is okay in my book." James paused and looked up at Deacon for a moment.

"Only okay?" He asked.

"Well, you know what I mean." Deacon complained.

"It wasn't my idea, you know. It was Kat's."

"Oh yeah, that lady friend of yours."

"I guess that one title of hers." James joked. "I've been hearing that a lot these days."

"I'm sure you have. The Commonwealth's chatting you two up thanks to Piper's story."

"What'd she write about us?"

"What?!" Deacon asked and stood up from where he was leaning. "You mean to tell me you don't know?!"

"No." James shrugged and wiped his sweat with his sleeve.

"The Power Couple of the Commonwealth!" Deacon read aloud from his copy of Piper's article.

"Like that takes anywhere outside of Diamond City."

"Oh, yeah, it's not like there's provisional government around investing in safe trade routes and united settlements or anything like that to prevent the spread news like this." Deacon said sarcastically.

"Why are we called that?" James inquired. "It's not uncommon for two wanderers to travel with one another."

"But it is uncommon for two vault dwellers to be travelling together."

"We're not even from the same vault?"

"Do you think anyone really cares about stuff like that?" Deacon asked. "It's gossip. Two important people who happen to have a lot of similarities with one another. News is bound to spread about that." James grunted as a response.

"Got it." James said as he stood away from the motorcycle.

"You fixed it?" Deacon asked. "Really?"

"Yeah." James responded. "It's yours on one condition."

"Oh dude, anything." Deacon responded as he ran his hand against the motorcycle's revving engine.

"Take this to Desdemona." James said quickly. "It's a Courser chip."

"No friggin way. You killed a Courser too?!"

"Yeah, no. Actually Katherine took the Pride to kill the Courser."

"Oh, so your girlfriend made the kill. Sweet, imagine the story when Piper hears about that."

"She's not my girlfriend." James began. "That's not important. But yeah she made the kill so tell Desdemona to get her involved with the Railroad too."

"Why her?" Deacon asked as he sat on the motorcycle. "Aren't you enough to represent the Enclave?"

"Yeah. But she'll represent the CPG and the Minutemen. Imagine the possibilities if you get a government to back you plus a paramilitary organization at your beck and call."

"Two actually, if we include the Minutemen."

"Two, hey the more the merrier. But get Kat in and I guarantee that the Railroad will want for nothing."

"Alright, I'll let her know."

"Good." Deacon shot James a smile, pushed up his sunglasses and revved the motorcycle. James opened the garage door and watched Deacon ride onto the road, turn right and drift off into the distance. An Enclave officer walked up to James and handed him a clipboard.

"Briefing on the Hangman's Alley attack, sir."

"Thank you, Linda. Anything on Zimonga and Nordhagen Beach?" he asked flipping through the pages of the various safehouses that had been raided in the past few weeks.

"Yes. Nordhagen was assaulted by raiders but repelled them with ease. Zimonga fought off a feral horde. They were surrounded for a few days but the Pride arrived and dispatched it."

"Good. When will the Crawler be arriving at Pendleton AFB?" James asked.

"They already have, sir. Lieutenant Colonel Arcade just called over the radio to confirm his position."

"Good, is it still on?"

"I believe so, sir." James nodded and handed the clipboard back to Linda. He walked out of the garage, grabbed a ceramic mug, a coffee pot, hotplate and walked over to the radio. He plugged in the hot plate and placed the pot over it. He tapped the microphone of the Ham radio.

"Arcade, you still there, brother?" James said. He turned to another officer and gestured for a chair. Linda quickly grabbed him a metal folding chair and handed it to him.

"Been here for a while, James. We've started setting up shop around here. I think there's going to be a change of plans though."

"Enlighten me."

"The Mobile Crawler needs a few minor repairs on the two forward treads, just a couple days."

"So what's the problem?"

"Eden's finished the calculations and the Crawler won't be able to sustain much damage. We recreated it from scrap metal all over the wasteland and simulated the heavy armor plating it originally had but the simple truth it won't be able to support from an offensive stance."

"Okay."

"I need time to design, manufacture, and apply a serious overhaul on the Crawler or we won't be able to provide much assistance in the long and short term."

"Alright then. Take however much time you need. How was New York?"

"It was quite all right. Much more civilized than I expected, but the whole city is run by a small number of gangs. It reminds me of the New Vegas Strip."

"Well that's to be expected with civilization. Few people holding most of the power."

"Eden seems to agree with you."

"Of course he does."

"Anyhow, this seriously delays our original plan to engage the Brotherhood. Will that be a problem?"

"None whatsoever. I've made sure to that." \

"Excellent. Also, I would like to propose that I send an expedition to New London to clear out and secure a submarine base."

"Where are you right now exactly?"

"New Haven. Pendleton is just outside of the city."

"Hmm. First clear out New Haven of raider gangs. Make the city safe and turn it into our fortress. I'd rather lay claim to that entire area for some security before you split up your team. After you secure New Haven send the expedition to New London. But I expect frequent status updates and mission reports."

"Understood. I'll have the men ready to go as soon as possible."

"Arcade."

"Yes, sir?"

"How many are with you on the Crawler?"

"Two thousand."

"We got that many recruits for the Enclave?"

"Oh yeah. More than that. These are just the most skilled recruits and initiates. I decided leave a good number of experienced Enclave soldiers back at Addams to begin undercover operations in the Capital."

"The ones we discussed?"

"The very same. Don't worry, nothing like the old Enclave."

"Okay. I didn't realize the crawler was that big."

"It wasn't we made some serious changes to the original design. It was too big to move through large portions of numerous cities. We had to carve our own path using some well-placed tactical nukes."

"So the stockpile was still full."

"Most definitely. The Brotherhood hadn't even begun the excavation process. We also found functioning machinery and the blueprints to manufacture more."

"How's the Enclave's finances coming along?"

"Thanks to Eden's algorithsm coupled with your pre-existing connections and numerous companies. We are doing very well. People in the Capital like security, they pay a lot for the security firm that you set up with your friend Jericho."

"He needed something to do. Butch cause any trouble?"

"Loads. Brings in some good money for Jericho."

"Sounds like that's working well. What about Project Purity?"

"We still have yet to purchase the remaining shares from Rivet City but the Enclaves owns the majority. We're distributing the water for a price, but the water itself is free."

"Good. How did talks with the TSC go?"

"Better than expected. They agree to assist us and will cooperate with our scientists on scientific ventures. Militarilry speaking we are to avoid each other, but are on friendly terms with one another. Their commander wishes to speak with you as soon as possible."

"I'll talk to him when I can."

"He's here now, sir."

"Greetings, Commander." Harkin's voice sparked the radio.

"Commodore Harkin!" James said. "It's been too long."

"For sure, Commander. We need you back aboard the Olympus, the council has been getting by with your absence but we need your say before we can go forward with most of the projects we've been holding off on."

"I understand Commodore, but I can't just be beamed up to Olympus right now. I'm quite simply too busy. It's not that I can't make time, but things are complicated here."

"Well they are up here as well, sir."

"Alright, send Tanaka down to my position so we can coordinate a TSC presence here at the Commonwealth."

"I will send word to her immediately sir." Harkin said. "And Commander?"

"Yes, Commodore?"

"There has been word that you plan on merging the Enclave with the TSC, is that true?"

"Yes. But perhaps not in the way you think, Commodore."

"Please explain, so I may relay it to the Council."

"The TSC will become a branch of the government I'm trying to build. From what I head from a man I met named Nathan, there are huge nations out in the West. All vying for free land and as much territory as possible. I want to protect my home, the Capital, from their prying hands."

"An honorable goal, Commander. But what good will a merger be between the Enclave and the TSC?"

"That will be discussed at the next council meeting. I'm hoping to arrange an invitation for a TSC ambassador at the next CPG meeting."

"Of course, sir. But what about our holdings in the Capital?"

"Cooperate with the Enclave. They will be gone for a long time, so you and the council will have free reign on the place. Keep it safe for me and we'll discuss what to do with the upcoming merger."

"Of course, sir."

"And that just about concludes the talks I had with them. Interesting folk, the TSC. All of the deserters from the Enclave."

"Yeah, they're good people with good ideas. But when I ran with them, we constantly ran out of funding. I helped them clear an underwater alien installation once, and they want to turn that into a city one day. We didn't do it because we didn't have enough funding. So I left to go get some."

"Aliens? So they're real?"

"Yeah. And it's a long story, but that's how they live in a spaceship."

"Hmm. I suppose one day I'll ask to be beamed up to see what it's like."

"Whatever. How long do you think all of this will take?"

"Easily over six months depending on how fast our caravans arrive." James rubbed his chin and thought about liquidating his assets and holdings in his properties and companies in New York. All of those things owned on technicality and paperwork, he wasn't sure if the New Yorkers respected such documents.

"All right, I have a bank in New York. Fly out there and tell them to purchase the local caravans in my name. I should have saved just enough caps there to pull this off."

"Hold on, did I hear you say you own a bank?"

"Two actually, but that's not important. If they don't have enough caps sell some properties. Just keep the one in Manhattan. That one's my favorite."

"Properties too? How have you travelled this much and have this many caps?!"

"Connections and quite a few hostile takeovers." James thought back to the times that Ashur taught him to "takeover" companies and caravans at gunpoint. He had always hated doing that. He felt like that was more stealing than anything but all those tricks had let him earn a name for himself while he stayed at New York for a year. "Oh and bootlegging helped too."

"Bootlegging? Who are you?"

"Didn't you hear? I'm the Lone Wanderer."

"Whatever." Linda walked up to James and held out a headset to him.

"Preston Garvey, requesting immediate assistance. Sizable Gunners force has taken Quincy. Minutemen currently pinned in the old church."

"Sorry, Arcade. Duty calls."

"Of course. I'll have Eden wire the rest of the stuff to your suit." James jogged to the power armor station in the garage. He tugged on the valve on its back and jumped into the frame as soon as it opened. He watched as the armor booted up and the HUD lit up the immediate area. He stomped over to the stairs that led to the roof of the gas station. A gunship variant of the VB-01 vertibird sat on a landing platform just waiting for him to take off.

"Where will we be headed today, sir?" Morales asked, standing at attention by the vertibird, hands behind his back.

"Quincy. Sounds like the Minutemen need our help."

"Does the Enclave really need to be the ones to help him?"

"No." James responded as he jumped into the gunship bay. "Just the Pride."


	34. Quincy

"So you're a mailman?" Katherine asked as she sat across from Nathan. She, Nathan, MacCready, Nick, Dogmeat and a guy named Boone all sat in the mid section of the vertibird. Boone was a guy that Nathan brought with him when he arrived. Boone seemed to rigid to be an average wastelander, Katherine observed. She guessed he was probably military. Two Enclave Pride members sat in the bay behind Katherine. She couldn't remember the names but guessed that they were probably Colvin and Gallows while someone named Dusk manned the minigun on the side. Dogmeat sat next to Katherine, panting and with his tongue out. He was clearly enjoying the ride to Quincy.

"What? No." Nathan responded. "I'm a Courier."

"Yeah, a mailman." Katherine repeated. "So what are you doing here?"

"Well, the New California Republic has a package for the Lone Wanderer." Nathan said. Boone glared at him as Nathan mentioned the name.

"I'm guessing you guys are from California then?" Katherine asked.

"No. I'm from what's left of Washington. Grew up with some tribals before a Prospector took me in." Nathan said.

"Oh, how's that?"

"Most of its pretty intact. Just irradiated water and fog every once in a while."

"I've always wanted to go to Washington."

"Well, now's not exactly a good time. You see things out East may be pretty peaceful but Washington's become the front line for the Kingdom of Vancouver and the NCR."

"The Kingdom of Vancouver?"

"Really?"

"Yeah a few influential families from Pre-War times came together and decided to create something similar to Project Safehouse. They saved a lot of people but established a feudal hierarchy that's lasted 'till today. Things stayed mostly the same for them until they started expanded South. Then they came into contact with the Alaskan Snow People."

"Snow people?"

"Yeah, loads of Chinese prisoners shipped back here during the Chinese invasion back before the war. They got stuck stateside after the bombs dropped and got free. They set up their own nation-state type thing in the remaining US army bases leftover from Anchorage."

"You know your Pre-War history."

"Kinda have to. I'm a Ranger. Or was a Ranger. They used to brief us on the history of the place before we're sent for long-term recon missions. After the second battle of Hoover Dam and a few small-skirmishes in Colorado, the Boneyard got sacked and that stirred up a lot of crazy over at the NCR. Nobody knew where the attack came from except that it was from the North. I was shipped out to investigate."

"So was it the north that initiated such an attack?" Katherine asked, interested in the current events of her home state.

"No. Snow People are isolationist. They also don't want to expand from where they are. The environment is too hostile for a large population and they have some serious overcrowding issues. The Kingdom also has no idea about the attack. They don't even have a professional army."

"So where's the attack from?" Nathan shrugged.

"It's the Legion." Boone said suddenly.

"There's no proof of that."

"I just know it." Boone responded. "It's a gut feeling I have."

"What's the Legion?"

"Story for another time." Nathan responded. "Sounds likes we're just about there."

"Quicy coming into view now, ma'am." The pilot said.

"Dusk, what do you see?" Katherine asked.

"Exchanges of gunfire coming from the chuch and its curroundings. It really seems like the Minutemen are going to need some heavy ordinance to make it out of there." Dusk reported.

"You two, get ready!" Katherine ordered the two operators at the back.

"Ma'am!" They responded in unison.

"Can you land?" Katherine asked as she stood up from her seat and walked to the pilot cockpit.

"Not anywhere close, ma'am. LZ is simply too hot."

"Any air support close by?"

"None of the jets are cleared to fly. Thunderstorm's rolling through the north area right not."

"Gunships on standby?"

"Most are grounded. We're it as far as I know." The pilot responded.

"Get us down there, ma'am. We'll do what we can." Gallows said. Katherine nodded. She understood that these men preffered to be fighting on the ground rather than circling above the battlefield.

"Can you fly them over the battlefield, let them insert on a rooftop or something?"

"Not sure, ma'am. Let me get us over a few buildings first, and then we'll see." The vertibird swooped over Quincy Market. She recognized the tourist attraction that Katherine herself had visited with Nate on the free weekends that he was home from the frontlines.

"Go!" one of the paladins shouted. Each leapt off the veritibird from a different side of the open bay doors. Katherine watched the one opposite Dusk on the minigun fall and land on top of an old corvega. The small four-door sedan crumpled under the weight of the power armor. He then stepped off the wreck and began to make his way towards the church.

"Missile launcher!" Dusk shouted. The vertibird swerved in an attempt to dodge the explosive. Katherine watched as it passed through the open bay doors from where Dusk stood through the interior and out the other door and watched it trail off towards the see.

"That was a close one." The pilot commented. Katherine grabbed her sniper rifle and clipped her harness to the veribird. She stood at the right bay door and aimed out at the buildings in search of targets. Dusk sprayed hellfire on the gunner positions as the veritibrid slowed to hover over the church.

"Out, out, out!" Nathan ordered as Boone jumped out of the Vertibird and landed on the roof of the church. Nathan followed suit and slid down the roof. Katherine found a Gunner sniper and fired. The .50 caliber round tore the man's arm from the rest of his body.

"Tangoes on the second floor." Dusk reported.

"I see 'em." Colvin's voice chirped over the radio.

"Can I get some suppressing fire on the rooftops of the market building?"

"Which one?" MacCready asked as he propped up Katherine's gauss rifle. Katherine pointed it out and MacCready let loose a barrage of blue bolts in a quick succession. Katherine watched a bodies topple over.

"Firing." The pilot said. The forward mounted machine guns let loose on the exposed Gunners on the rooftops.

"Launcher to the right!" MacCready shouted. The veritbird swooped up, but this time the missle slammed into the right wing, tearing it and the propeller off completely. The vertibird then shifted to the right forcing MacCready to fall out the door.

"MacCready!" Katherine shouted as she reached for him. Then the vertibrid slammed into one of the roofs.


	35. The Confrontation

"Gun down, now!" James shouted. The Brotherhood Knight refused to budge.

"You first!" the Knight shouted back.

"Rhys, stand down. There's no need to get into a fight." The Paladin next to him said, trying to grab at the Knight's laser rifle.

"Yeah, listen to him. Then you might not get your head blown off." Preston yelled from behind the cockpit. They all stood across from one another with the crashed vertibird in the middle. Most of it, including the passenger was concealed by the building wall, meaning James had not gotten time to inspect it yet. Kodiak, Colvin, Gallows, and Glade stood behind James. Clad in X-02 power armor, it was difficult for James to tell them apart. The Brotherhood patrol seemed to consist of a single paladin four knights and a single scribe. Surviving Minutemen from the church lined the rooftops and formed a firing line behind the Brotherhood patrol. The Knights all wore T-60 suits and covered on another. But despite all their armor, James could tell the Knights were scared.

"I'm ready to go down fighting, Danse. I'm ready." Rhys shouted.

"And I admire that, Knight. But stand down, that's an order!" Danse shouted. James recognized Danse. Danse was one of James's students. After Paladin Krieg died, James toke over mentorship of Danse for a while. Then after teaching Danse everything he knew, James left for the Pitt for the last time. He still felt betrayed that Danse would accept Maxon's vision and leadership over Lyons's.

"Stand down." James said.

"Okay, now that we've all cooled our heads a bit. Please call your men off. I don't want anyone to be killed." Danse said, standing in front of his men.

"That a threat?" Preston asked. James motioned at Gallows and Colvin to start digging the vertibird out of the rubble. Glade stepped forward, hefting his gatling laser and spinning the barrel.

"Only if you want it to be." Danse warned. "The Brotherhood knows we're here. Our men will be here soon."

"Why the hell are you here?"

"We were just a patrol moving through the Commonwealth." Danse answered. "We got lost"

"Why are you here in Quincy?" Preston repeated. "Neck deep in Gunners territory with only a few troops. You know there's some heavy ordinance out here. You know the threats around here. So tell me, what the hell are you doing here?" Danse held up his rifle.

"Now, calm down." Danse suggested. James lifted his own rifle and Glade loaded a new fusion core into the gatling laser.

"Don't do it." Glade muttered.

"Come on, I dare you." Rhys grunted.

"Everybody just calm down." James suggested.

"I have a shot at the whack guy in front." Boone's voice whispered over the radio.

"Don't shoot unless fired upon." Nathan's voice quickly followed.

"What are they doing back huh?" Rhys asked. He took a step forward. The Minutemen began to get antsy, weapons ready to fire. Rhys looked up at the Minutemen lining the rooftops. "They're digging up weapons aren't they?"

"No, we're trying to get to our people." James responded. Rhys took another step forward.

"Rhys. Stand down." Danse warned. Rhys ignored him.

"I remember your armor. And a vertibird? Where'd you get one of those?" Rhys hissed, lifting his laser rifle. "There's only one group I heard of that has advanced X-02 suits and vertibirds."

"Oh shit." Glade muttered.

"Enclave. Ad Victoriam!" Rhys shouted. James took aim.

"No, stop!" Danse shouted as he rushed for Rhys. Suddenly a gunshot rang out silencing Rhys and preventing anyone from opening fire. The laser rifle flipped into the air and landed a few feet from James's feet.

"Target disarmed." Boone whispered. Danse grabbed Rhys by the collar and tossed him to one of his Knights.

"Get back there!" Danse hissed. He looked up at James and raised his rifle. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" Glade stopped the barrel on his gatling laser. James looked over at Glade and back at Danse. Regardless of what happened, James is still asking the Pride to fight against former Brothers and Sisters. James reached for his helmet, the Brotherhood Knights raised their weapons at him, but James simply took off his helmet. And let it drop to the ground.

"Sir, I would advise you not to do that." Eden's voice said from the helmet.

"Already took it off, genius." James muttered.

"It's the thought that counts, no?" Eden responded.

"James." Danse said. James noted that Danse hadn't lowered his weapon.

"Danse." James repeated. "Lower your weapon. Tell your man to stand down."

"And then what?"

"We'll have to take you in." James responded.

"Why?"

"You're fighting for the wrong team, Danse. You're just too blind to see it." James said quietly.

"The wrong team?!" Danse asked. "You're fighting for the Enclave. I'd say the wrong team terminology has flown out the window."

"Maxson is a tyrant. He will kill anybody who aren't up to his standards." James argued.

"And you aren't?" Danse spat back.

"No, I'm not." James sighed. Glade tore off his helmet as well.

"He's telling the truth, Danse. Maxson, just doesn't have the right vision for the people of the Commonwealth." Glade commented.

"Glade? You too?" Danse asked incredulously. James could tell that the Knights were green, they had no idea who they were looking at. "Don't tell me the whole Pride's turned against the Brotherhood."

"We never turned against the Brotherhood, Danse." Colvin said as he took off his helmet.

"The Brotherhood turned against Elder and Sentinel Lyons." Gallows finished, though he did not take off his own helmet.

"And that's something we will not stand for." Kodiak said after digging out the rubble. "General, the bay's has been dug out and the passengers secured."

"Katherine's unconscious, but she's fine, General." Preston evaluated. "Nick's trying to get his hand to work again and it looks like your friend's power armor is compromised, but it looks like everyone is going to be fine, sir."

"Put down your weapons, Danse." James implored. "It's for the best." Danse's expression hardened.

"No." he muttered. "Ad Victoriam, Knights!"

"Ad Victoriam!" The Knights echoed as they began to open fire. Kodiak groaned as a laser bolt grazed his cheek. James opened fire with his shotgun forcing the Brotherhood into cover. Preston granked his laser musket before standing up and firing. James reached into his grenade pouch, produced a pulse grenade and paused. If he primed it, he could kill Danse by frying the suit. James thought for a moment before priming it and lobbing it behind the Brotherhood's defenses.

"Pulse grenade, move!" Danse shouted. The Brotherhood vaulted over the car they took cover behind, met only with plasma and gunfire from the Enclave and Minutemen. The grenade exploded showering the Brotherhood with a wide blue electric current. The wave was at right distance to disable the armor with causing too much damage to the wearer. Most of the Kngihts collapsed to the ground or on their knees. The Scribe was knocked out cold, with Danse kneeled above her. "Traitors, all of you!" Danse shouted, unable to move. James sighed as he picked up his helmet and placed it back on top of his head.

"Sturges, I'm gonna need a transport here as soon as possible. We have a couple wounded we need to bring home."

"Understood, sir. Storm's just about letting up, I hear the P-80s are itching for some warm up." Sturge's voice chirped over the radio.

"Tell them to warm up fast. I get the feeling we're going to need to soon." James said as he stared up at the fleet of silver vertibirds hovering above him,

"Stand down, Paladin." Elder Maxson's voice said over the loudspeaker. "Or I'll make you."


	36. Resolution

Katherine woke in a bright, white room.

"Ah, good, you've awoken." A familiar voice said from her right. Katherine looked over at him.

"X6." She sighed.

"I'm glad you remembered me." X6 smiled. "I brought someone to see you." He walked over to a door and let it open. A small, brown haired boy entered the room. He looked like Nate. Katherine's eyes began to tear up.

"Shaun?" She whispered. Her throat trembled and the words wouldn't leave her mouth. She reached her hand out to the boy. The same boy from Kellogg's memory. Her son. "Shaun?" she croaked.

"Who are you?" the boy asked, backing away from the room. He looked up at X6. "Where's Father?"

"He'll be here soon. He just wanted you to meet this person from the surface." X6 explained.

"Oh, I see. Why does he want me to do so thought?" the boy asked.

"It's not your place to question Father, young man. Run along now." X6 said gently. He walked over to Katherine and fixed her bed sheets, as if tucking her in for sleep. "Relax, you're safe."

"Where am I?" She hissed. "What have you done to my son?"

"You're safe. With the Institute. There was a terrible battle." X6 began.

"My son?!"

"Nothing at all." A different voice said.

"Father." X6 murmured. Katherine looked carefully at X6 and the old man called "Father" and back at X6.

"Good morning, Miss Katherine. I am Father, the Director of the Institute." The old man said with a warm smile. He walked over to Katherine's bed and picked up a medical clipboard. "Ah, it seems your recovery is going quite well. So happy to hear that. You've been here for three days after all." _Three days?!_

"Where am I?" Katherine repeated.

"Oh, I thought X6 already explained it. You're at the Institute." Father said simply and began pacing the room.

"That wasn't my son, was it?" Katherine asked.

"My, how perceptive of you." Father admitted. "No, that wasn't. How could you tell?"

"I don't know. Just a feeling I had." Katherine relented.

"Ah, that is a shame. I was hoping for something more, something that could be tested."

"Tested? What are you talking about?"

"Well, my dear, that boy was a synth. We are attempting to make the synths more believable."

"What? You make synth children now?!"

"Please, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it supposed to appear like?"

"Well, I don't know." Father shrugged. He smiled at Katherine. "Progress perhaps?" He chuckled to himself.

"Why am I here? How did I get here?" Katherine asked. Then it came back to her. "Quincy." She whispered.

"Ah, yes. That terrible battle site. X6, report?" Father began. The room darkened and a projector turned on. A screen opened up at just the right angle to allow Katherine to see it.

"I took a squad of gen 2s with me in hopes of recovering an escaped synth." A picture of a Gunner popped onscreen. "It just so happened that a confrontation between the Enclave and Brotherhood broke out upon my arrival." Pictures of Elder Maxons, Paladin Danse, James, Preston, Nick, and other members of the CPG appeared on screen.

"I attempted to refrain from the battle, but when the Brotherhood gained the upper hand and blasted the Enclave's remaining vertibird out of the air, I felt compelled to act." A picture of an explosion engulfing a vertibird was displayed.

"Survivors?" Father asked, leaning against a metal desk while fiddling with some kind of medical instrument.

"None, sir. The Enclave fought to the bitter end, with the Brotherhood arriving en masse and overwhelming their last stand position." A picture of church became shown as well. Preston, a few minutemen lay on the ground. Apparently dead. Kodiak was leaned against a wall while Dusk and Glade were found dead in each other's arms. Katherine scrutinized the pictures for James. But he wasn't found. Then the last picture appeared.

"It would appear that the Enclave's leader went down in the battle, sir." X6 reported. Father sighed.

"I see." Father said. "most disappointing. I was hoping his efforts would delay the Brotherhood. Give us more time." Katherine sat up from her bed, James's face was clearly pictured. His suit mangled and his face half burned, likely from an explosion. But something was off about the picture because James was wearing an X-02 suit on-site but an X-01 in the photo. She'd never even known that he owned one for personal use, she only saw Sturges inspecting one back at Sanctuary.

"The Brotherhood was engaged by our forces and were forced to cut their losses and retreat."

"I see." Father said. "Then not all is lost."

"How did you find me?"

"You were left in the wrecked vertibird." X6 explained. "We found a few of your friends with you, they are all here."

"Where?" Katherine demanded.

"In different rooms, recuperating from their injuries."

"And Nick?"

"Nothing could be done for him. He was gone when I arrived." _Gone?_

"In any case, I am truly sorry about your friends. I invite you stay at the Institute while you heal and you may return to the Commonwealth when fully recovered."

"Where's Shaun?" Katherine asked. Father stopped in his tracks and turned. "I know he's here. So where is my son?"

"Well, that is a question best answered at another time." Father said with a smile.

"No, tell me. Please." Katherine begged. Father turned once more.

"I am Shaun."

TO BE CONTINUED


	37. Aimless

James stumbled into the house, alone. It was night now. His armor torn and shredded. Pieces threw sparks that lit the pitch black room for moments at a time. Oil leaked from where there once used to be an arm on the armor. James could hardly see from the viewports of his mangled helmet. A light switched on and Piper turned in her chair, aiming a sawed off shotgun at James. She quickly realized it was James who had returned from a mission and rushed to help him.

"Oh my God, James!" Piper exclaimed. "What happened?" James opened his mouth, but no words came out. He wanted to explain his failure. How everything that happened was his fault. But no words came to mind. Just feelings. His mind was muddied by conflicting emotions, especially confusion. After five minutes of Piper's futile attempts to pry the mangled X-02 armor off of James, James knew what to say.

"You should see the other guy."

Katherine followed Father as he led her what he described as a school within the institute. She looked around and scrutinized the Institute's pristine white walls. The architecture was amazing showing real thought of expressing the elegance of the institution. She marveled at its subtle beauty, especially in the way that it glows with a special aura at night. They passed the central elevator and a low fog permeated the ground level. This ambience impressed Katherine as she walked. Father looked back every once in a while only to resume looking forward with a small smile on his lips. Likely happy that his life's work has impressed his mother.

"We're here." He said curtly, leading Katherine to a window. Katherine walked up and pressed her hands against the glass. Almost as if to support her when she saw countless children playing in the room. She quickly spotted Marie, running around and generally having fun with other kids. It was almost like back before the war. Katherine found it difficult to control her emotions, she teared up, pressed her hand against her mouth as she looked at Shaun. Shaun, her son, had aged so tremendously since she last saw him. He was 60 years old.

"It's just like-"

"Old times?" he asked carefully. "I'd hoped so. I've been… waiting for this moment for a long time."

"You waited?" Katherine asked and reached a hand out to her son but Shaun turned away. It was as if he felt uncomfortable or unworthy of the loving touch of his mother.

"The Institute took me and raised me. But I never had this, right from infancy I was being groomed to become Director of the Institute. This" Father gestured to all around the two of them, "is the fruit of my life's work. I never had time to family or love."

"I never wanted this life for you. I wanted so much more for you." Katherine began as images and countless alternate situations flooded her mind.

"But this is the life I have. I accept Mother. I am happy with what I had, despite lacking you and Father to experience life in the Institute with me."

"I was coming for you, Shaun."

"I know. But you didn't come in time. Regardless of past regrets and what you and I simply could not do, I have a request of you."

"Anything."

"Please sit."

"That's it?" Father chuckled softly as if lauding her simple response to his simple command.

"No. Just sit, please." Katherine complied and composed herself. Despite practically not knowing her own son she was still bonding with him the best she could. He grabbed hold of her hand and looked Katherine straight into her eyes. Nate's eyes, Katherine thought.

"I am dying."

James leaned back into the couch and felt the crown of his head touch the wall. Piper scurried about, tossing bits and scraps of metal away with Codsworth.

"I am so sorry to hear about your predicament, Mister James." Codsworth began. "But I do implore you, where is Miss Katherine?"

"I don't know. I think the Brotherhood has her."

"What a shame."

"You're telling me, buddy." James mumbled. A small whine came from beside James, and James looked down only to find Dogmeat, sitting in front of him, head hung low. James ruffled Dogmeat's head and sighed. "I know, I miss her too bud."

"So what's the plan?" Piper asked as she poured some bourbon into two glasses. She walked over and handed one to James. James grabbed it with a bandaged hand and nodded his thanks before drinking the beverage.

"I don't have a plan." James admitted. He reached for the bottle and poured himself another shot.

"Then what are you going to do?" Piper asked.

"No idea." James shrugged.

"What happened down in Quincy?" Piper asked, placing her drink down, untouched. James swirled the drink in the glass before downing it. Images of the Pride, Maxson, vertibirds, explosions flashed in his mind.

"Shit went down."

"Dammit, James. I'm a reporter I need details." James sighed. He tapped his earpiece.

"Gallows, bring him in."

"Yes, sir." James poured himself another shot. But placed the glass beside Piper's and began to drink from the bottle.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked. "This isn't the James I know. You're just giving up? Not going to try to think or talk your way out of this?" James raised a finger and pressed it against her lips, angering Piper further.

"I said I don't have a plan. Didn't say I'm giving up." James said and finished the bottle. There was a knock on the door. "Come in." The door opened and Paladin Danse, minus his power armor, walked in and took a seat in from of James. Gallows and Kodiak stood closely behind him. Gallows had one hand on his holster. Danse eyed him carefully.

"Paladin Danse. Always a pleasure." Piper said coldly as she glared at James.

"Piper." Danse nodded. He stared plainly at James. James grabbed his 10mm from the table and pointed it aimlessly at Danse.

"Paladin. Tell me what Maxson has done with Katherine. Or I'm going to kill you."


	38. Careful Planning

"I don't often come up here." Father whispered. His voice breaking the eerie silence of twilight. The sun was just beginning to rise. Katherine could see her breath fog up just in front of her. "What do you see?"

Katherine made no response. How could she? Despite helping to expedite the process of rebuilding with the CPG and the Enclave, it was not nearly close enough to being able to bring back the world Katherine once knew and lived in.

"No response." Father chuckled. "I'm not surprised." Father sat on the roof of the C.I.T. Ruins and let his legs hang. Hardly the kind of action befitting an elderly man about to die. His actions seemed to have a childlike quality not befitting men of status and rank. As if the presence of his mother awoke something deep inside of him, a feeling that had long since been forgotten. "I look up at the wounds of this world and I have no words."

Katherine remained silent as she watched her son gesture at the black, cold Boston left by centuries of irradiated storms and constant battle. It seemed befitting that Shaun's outlook of the world was reflected in the image of the Boston ruins at night. Then a small tinge of orange began to illuminate even the darkest parts of the half-dead city. Katherine felt herself smile a little as the rising sun lifted her spirits.

"I think there's still hope here, Shaun." Katherine said quietly. Father looked back up at her, puzzled. "Even now, people rebuild. It's not perfect, but if the society we came from was perfect… Then this never would have happened in the first place." Shaun looked at Katherine for a long time and then looked down at his feet and then smiled. Katherine lowered herself and sat beside him finally being granted her wish of being able to spend time with her long-lost son.

James walked out the metal house and wiped his eyes. The sun was bright now and hurt his eyes, which had been so used to the dark. He began to talk into the streets of Sanctuary Hills, where he met and passed countless settlers. He nodded greetings and waved to various passing individuals. He made his way to the bridge where Brandis was drilling Minutemen in the river. Preston stood on the bridge, watching over the trainee Minutemen.

"How are they?" James asked. Preston shook his head.

"Not nearly as good as the ones we lost." Preston responded. He looked grimly at James.

"Yeah." James responded as he fixed his blue collar shirt. "Quincy's a bitch."

"Amen, to that brother." Preston leaned against the railing. "Brandis!" He shouted. "How are the recruits?!"

"Give me a week, and they'll be ready to start the real training!" Paladin Brandis responded.

"This isn't the real training?!" A trainee asked.

"This is just the entrance exam, kid!" James shouted.

"Get back to work!" Brandis shouted at the trainee. James grabbed Preston by the shoulder.

"Come on. Let's go check on the Pride." James said. Preston nodded and followed. To two crossed the bridge as Brandis continued to shout orders at the Minutemen-in-training.

"Anything on the Crawler?" Preston asked. James shook his head.

"Lost contact a couple months ago. I don't we're getting those reinforcements." James sighed. "Did Deacon or anyone from the Railroad contact you?"

"Not since the Institute hit their safehouse in Lexington. I hear the Brotherhood's hunting them down south too. Minutemen have been seeing more and more patrols. Where are they getting the manpower?" Preston asked.

"I'm pretty sure they're recruiting. First group that can fight back against the Institute, how do you think most people would react?"

"I don't know. The Minutemen can-"

"Minutemen was dead when the Brotherhood arrived, brother. People don't remember who the Minutemen are anymore."

"I second that." Deacon said out of nowhere. James smiled and looked up to where the voice came from. Red Rocket Gas Station, now the headquarters to Lyons Pride, and so it seems now the Railroad.

"Deacon, what the Hell are you going here?" Preston asked.

"We need your help." Deacon responded.

"You always do. Follow me." James said, gesturing for the two to join him in the Gas Station. They entered and found most of the Pride members at work already. Dusk and Glade were shining and cleaning their armor and weapons in the garage. Colvin was making coffee as Gallows restocked the ammo cabinets and shelves. Kodiak swept the floors while Tristan and Vargas overlooked the map of the Commonwealth of the wall.

"Vargas I need a sit-rep in five." James said as he beelined straight for the coffee. Colvin looked up and saw James. He poured James a cup and handed it to him before going back to his business.

"Not big on talking huh?" Preston asked.

"I made a mistake with Quincy. And Colvin… Colvin feels guilty on losing track of MacCready." James responded as he blew his coffee.

"What happened to MacCready?" Deacon asked.

"He went missing during Quincy. Hasn't popped up since." James said, sipping his coffee.

"Is it because…" Preston suggested.

"I don't know." James responded coldly. Noticing Preston's suspicion that MacCready was in love with Katherine. "Let's focus on work first."

"The Brotherhood's been focusing all their efforts on Raider camps and Super Mutant dens in the south. Our efforts and joint-ops with the Minutemen have pushed most of the big players out of the main city and straight into that open stretch here." Vargas said, circling Murkwater and Gunners Plaza.

"I thought we cleared Gunners Plaza." Preston said.

"We did, but losing Quincy with the Gunners and the Brotherhood, Minutemen were stretched thin so they pulled out a while ago." Tristan but in. "Way I hear things, Brotherhood's began an extermination campaign focusing all their resources on this one stretch. We don't know why but we suspect it has to do with the Railroad."

"Deacon, that's your line of work." James waved the cup at him. Deacon crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "What do we need to know?"

"Well, you already know it's open season out there on Railroad members. We've lost contact with almost all our safehouses." Deacon walked up to the map. "May I?" Tristan nodded and handed him the grease pencil. "We pulled back to our last safehouse here in Old North."

"The church?" Preston asked. "How long do you think before Brotherhood starts sniffing around there?"

"It's not ideal. But it's temporary. We need a new place, but that's not important. What is important is that we got word of an escaped synth. We sent our agent, Johnny Whisper to extract him, but we lost contact three days ago. Since that's exclusively Brotherhood real estate, we're going to need some heavy firepower to get our guys out of there."

"What do you think?" Preston asked. "Minutemen's not ready. We don't have enough experienced members and the guys who are left are defending the Castle."

"We really need you help." Deacon begged.

"Armor's not going to be ready in time, boss." Glade said as he entered the room. He wiped his greasy hands with a rag before grabbing a mutfruit from the counter. "After Quincy, most of our armor's been totaled. Parts for the X-02 are rare and don't come cheap, even if we get it through Jones." James stayed silent and let the Pride think things through on their own. There was a reason that Sarah handpicked each candidate after all. James wanted to see it.

"So what do we do?" Kodiak asked. "We have the air superiority right? Why don't we use it?"

"The P-80s have limited ranges, as they're operating from an airstrip outside the city, that limits their use before they have to refuel." Glade responded.

"We can just sneak our way in, grab the guys and then get out." Dusk suggested.

"Place is crawling with Brotherhood, raiders, gunner, super mutants, and who knows what else." Gallows interjected. "It's not as simple as sneaking in and out. We are going to need a sizable force to move through this place."

"Well, we don't have armor. We don't have our air power. What do we have?" Kodiak asked.

"We've got us." Colvin said at last. "Shouldn't that be enough?"

"This is a suicide mission, Colvin. You know that?" Preston asked.

"That's never stopped us before." Colvin responded. "Even back where we always had those shitty 45s."

"Hey, man. Those 45s always saved your stupid ass." Glade laughed.

"We'll just need to watch each other's backs out there. No stupid movements or decisions." Colvin advised.

"Glade, how many suits have been fully or mostly repaired?" Preston asked.

"Two are about ninety percent done. Rest are fifty and below." Glade responded.

"Why the huge gap?" Preston asked.

"Uh, we scrapped what was left of the command suit to make repairs and we ran out of parts." Glade responded. Preston looked over at James.

"So no more armor for you, huh?" Preston asked. James shrugged.

"Won't change a thing. I'm the Lone Wanderer. Remember?" James responded.

"So what does this mean?" Deacon asked.

"It means," James began.

"That you need my help more than I thought?" a familiar voice interrupted James. They all turned to the source of the voice. By the door, stood a pale man with light blond hair, sporting a lab coat and spectacles. James rolled his eyes.

"Arcade."


	39. A Fresh Start

"Nervous?" a voice from the right asked. Ash turned and found his partner and sponsor, Yuri, crouched next to him. Ash sighed.

"Yeah." He mumbled.

"It's okay. Everyone's nervous on their first op." She said. Ash nodded slowly and began to fidget with his assault rifle. Yuri sat down against wall and looked up at Ash. They were both Enclave Initiates on their Qualifying mission.

Simply put, in order to qualify to apply for the training to become an Enclave Trooper, one must wipe out a super mutant camp and bring back the heads of each mutant to headquarters. While strangely specific and quite grotesque, this test is not to test an initiate's skill or experience but rather, their courage.

"Do I really have to do it alone?" Ash asked as he watched one of the mutants through his scope. "I've never fought alone. Especially never a super mutant." Yuri laughed softly and drew her combat knife it was different because it was slightly rusted and in pretty poor condition. Ash frowned and struggled to comprehend why she wouldn't just replace it if it were in such poor condition.

"They used to send initiates in fireteams of four to eliminate super mutant camps." Yuri began. She began to rub the knife and press the rips of her fingers against the blade. Ash felt a bit uneasy to her strange handling of the knife. It was as if it were an item of great sorrow and pain for Yuri.

"They sent us to the Mall." Yuri said softly. "They told us kill eight and run." Yuri twirled the knife with her fingers.

"What happened?"

"We didn't even kill one." She said. "Talon Company got there first, gunned down every single thing that moved. Charon Holdings took cover on the other side. Fired back. Squad got caught in the middle. We took cover in an old abandoned Brotherhood safehouse." Yuri stopped messing with the knife and she held the blade in her gloved hand. She stared coldly at her knife. On the handle was a gold inscription that read 'Milo'. She looked back at Ash. "Infested with Supermutants. I was lucky to make it out alive." Ash nodded and struggled to come up with a response. He thought back to his own upbringing in the Commonwealth. Struggling to survive with his father. Escaping from the Gunners. Hiding from raidiers, deathclaws and who knows what else? Then his father got taken by the Gunners while he was forced to join their ranks. Ash shook his head. _That's all over now._

"Okay. It's only eight of them, right?" Ash asked. Yuri twirled her knife and looked at Ash with a surprised look. Almost as if she were surprised that he would even dare to want to go alone.

"Yeah. Only eight. Good luck." Yuri smiled. Ash nodded and took aim with his rifle.

"Don't need it."

James stopped himself from smashing in the face of the feral ghoul just before his power armored fist came into contact with the mutate's skull. It was already dead. He dropped it and flexed his fingers. The new armor was light. Too light to be comfortable.

"Like it?" Arcade asked from a modified version of James's old armor.

"No." James responded. "It's too light." Arcade shook his head and took off the command helmet.

"You know, most soldiers look for light when they go on different operations." Arcade chuckled.

"I'm not just a soldier." James curtly replied.

"Well, be grateful we had the schematics for the Command Armor prototype." Arcade said as he flexed his fingers and inspected the armor. "It moves like it wasn't even power armor."

"Explains why Autumn was so easy to kill at Jefferson." James grunted as he drew his machete from a feral ghoul's body. Arcade and James stood in the center of Cambridge Police Station, an old abandoned Brotherhood outpost. Kodiak gathered the surviving members of the Brotherhood on the roof to be shipped off to the Mobile Carrier for interrogation. James waved as the Vertibird took off.

"So you're the one who killed the notorious Colonel Autumn." Arcade said as he inspected a couple dead ferals. The Enclave had taken the site two hours earlier but the Brotherhood had taken defensive positions within the building. The attention was drawing feral hordes in.

"That's me." James responded. He picked up his combat shotgun and loaded a few shells in.

"Was he wearing this when you killed him?" Arcade asked as he looked at the armor. James looked over at him and realized that with the faded trench coat that Arcade wore over the command armor caused Arcade to resemble Autumn.

"No." James muttered. "I don't know what the outcome would have been if he did."

"I wonder why he didn't wear it." Arcade surmised. "This suit works like an undersuit. It's almost perfect compared the design specs that some Enclave techies drew up."

"That's the strongest suit I've ever worn." James commented. "If there's something stronger, I want it." Arcade eyed James carefully.

"Why the sudden change in wanting stronger suits of armor?" Arcade asked.

"Because right after I'm finished with the Brotherhood," James began before he withdrew a folder that Deacon had given him from his ammo pouch. "I'm going to destroy the Insitute."

Arcade grabbed the folder and saw what had aggravated James. A single photograph stacked above the rest of the contents of the folder. On the rooftop of the C.I.T. ruins stood Katherine and a man notoriously known as The Director.


	40. A Familiar Place

"What is this?!" Danse asked after looking up from the manila folder. James glared hard at Danse, trying to read his movements. "This can't be right."

"Danse." James began. "Calm down, let's talk about this."

"How do you know this isn't faked?!" He shouted at James from within the confines of his cell. "How can you trust anything from the Institute?!"

"Danse." James sighed. "Accept it. You're a synth."

24 hours earlier.

Ash flexed his fingers as his body adjusted to the new suit.

"So you're the newbies I'll be working with?" Major Dusk asked. Ash nodded, his throat parched rendering him unable to speak.

"Yes, ma'am." Yuri answered for him.

"New armor." Dusk chuckled. "Lighter stuff than ever. Enclave never ceases to amaze." Dusk looked out the open bay door of the vertibird.

"Mission is to inspect Fort Hagen, intel suggests that Brotherhood has take over." Morales began his briefing. It was almost midnight. The sky covered with rain clouds. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, causing Ash to be nervous that he was riding in a flying vehicle.

"Nervous?" Yuri asked. Ash looked at her.

"Yeah." He admitted.

"Locals report that a patrol walked in hours ago and never came out. Two Brotherhood vertibirds flew in, dropped off two fireteams and flew out. Again, no one came out. General Hwang has ordered an inspection of the facility." Morales finished. "Also, as this is the first field test of the new X-02 stealth variant, please be careful. This variant is not as durable as a normal suit of power armor. It was modeled after the Chinese Stealth Suit recovered by General Hwang years ago."

"Wait, General Hwang recovered that?" Niko asked. "And I thought the guy was a pushover."

"You'd be very wrong." Sam responded. "Hwang's the Lone Wanderer."

"The Lone Wanderer?!" Yuri exclaimed.

"Who?" Ash asked. He regretted the words soon as they exited his mouth as the whole crew looked at him funny just as he asked.

"Clear." Dusk said over the radio. "Gallows move in."

"Affirmative." Gallows responded. Major Dusk took point and entered the hallway with Niko covering her. Ash entered the room and covered the right corridor that was Dusk's blind spot.

"Hallway clear." Ash reported.

"Good job, rookie." Dusk responded. "Gallows take your team and carry out your orders."

"Roger." Gallows replied curtly. Niko, Sam and Yuri rushed over to the dark room that Gallows entered.

"Rook, you're with me." Dusk said. Ash simply nodded and followed Dusk as she walked down the corridor.

"Why does Captain Gallows have a separate mission?" Ash asked. Dusk paused but continued to clear rooms.

"If anything, we have the separate mission. This is where General Hwang and the Sole Survivor dealt with Kellogg." Dusk said. Ash shuddered as he remembered the scarred, bald man that haunted his dreams.

"Kellogg?" Ash almost whimpered. Dusk seemed to sense Ash's sudden irreverent fear of the late mercenary.

"He's dead. Don't worry about him anymore." She replied.

"I didn't even know he could be killed." Ash said as he continued to clear rooms with no sign of any Brotherhood operators.

"Yeah, well. He was killed by those two. I don't know how they did it. I wasn't here."

"Oh." Ash replied. "I see."

"But anyway, the mission is to recover Kellogg's body, he wasn't fully human and has a bunch of random synth parts in him." Dusk began. She paused to kick down a door that revealed a stack of piled synth bodies. Dusk paused and lowered her weapon before moving once again. "I guess the General believes that those parts can help the Enclave in some way."

"What specifically?" Ash asked.

"Beats me. You ask the General. I just follow the orders." Dusk replied simply.

The two walked in silence when they arrived before a pair of double doors.

"According to Corporal Morales's intel this is Kellogg's old room." Dusk said.

"Was this our objective?" Ash asked.

"Very perceptive of you, rook." Dusk replied. Ash wasn't sure if that was meant to be sarcastic or not. "Stick with me and you might learn some things. The rest of the Pride wouldn't do that for you." Dusk kicked down the doors.

"Why do you always have to kick down doors?" Ash asked. He understood that with the suit, the action was nearly effortless, but he still felt opening them would be easier. Dusk shrugged.

"Maybe I like kicking down doors." She replied. There was a man laying on the bed in Kellogg's room. A crowd of Brotherhood Paladins stood around him, in the center stood a man clad in a black vest, white shirt and black slacks. The man turned his head and revealed two bright blue glowing eyes. Ash raised his weapon at the same time as Dusk.

"X6!" Dusk grunted as the man rushed forward at Ash and Dusk. Ash cursed himself and pulled the trigger.


	41. Questions

The bullets fired from Ash's gun. Time seemed to slow as Ash watched the gun recoil, the shell exit the chamber, while pockmarks on the floor exploded onto the floor around X6's feet. This whole time, X6 charged forward, seemingly avoiding every single shot. Nimbly weaving his way past them, Ash watched the cold, blue eyes meet his own when Dusk slammed her power armored arm against X6's neck. The synth fell back, somehow as if he had not seen the move coming. As if he were only focused on Ash from the beginning. X6 fell back but threw his arm to the ground to stop his fall. As quickly as he fell, he pushed himself up form the awkward position of extending one arm backwards while falling. He rose to his feet as Dusk fired her laser rifle one handed as she drew a pulse grenade.

"Get back, rook!" She shouted as she tossed the grenade. X6 caught the grenade and made a move to return it to its owner but a red flash smashed into X6's face, preventing him from doing so. Ash froze, his feet planted to the ground. He couldn't move. Dusk grumbled and tackled him just as the blue pulse flooded the room. Ash shut his eyes close and silently wished himself home.

"You alright, rookie?" Dusk asked, offering a hand to Ash. Ash grabbed and was lifted to his feet.

"Yeah." He mumbled. "I think so."

"Good cause we got to go." Dusk responded. She picked up the combat rifle from off the floor and handed it to Ash. "You know how to use this?"

"Yeah."

"Then shoot something for once." Dusk responded. She quickly loaded a fresh cell into her laser rifle before looking back at Ash. "Ready?"

"Ready." He responded. She moved through the open space. Ash looked back and saw that the doorframe had collapsed. There were numerous holes into the walls and some slabs of concrete, indicating that it was intentional. Most likely Dusk had done it, but when? Ash wondered.

"Rookie, you coming?" Dusk's voice called. Ash elected to remain silent and stepped through the hole that led to the unknown within Fort Hagen.

Ash landed in a puddle of water. Dusk looked up allowing her headlight on her helmet illuminate the crusty ceiling consisting of rusty pipes and concrete.

"Guess two centuries and a couple big fights and this place starts to come down." She commented. "Come on, let's go this way." Dusk said as she led Ash down the long service corridor that ran along the walls of the facility. Ash looked around and noticed the flow of water becoming more and more forceful as they walked down the path.

"How big is this place?" Ash asked.

"No idea. Kinda why we came out here. To find out what the Institute let Kellogg stay here." Dusk said.

"Why is that important?" Ash asked.

"In life, nothing's a coincidence. If Kellogg was staying here there had to be a reason."

"Maybe because it was fort and could be defended easily."

"If that were the case, why didn't they defend it well?"

"What do you mean?"

"The General and the Sole Survivor came through and wrecked this place. No power armor or heavy weapons." Dusk said. She crouched behind a wall and held out her arm to stop Ash. She looked left and right to the new hallway that appeared before Dusk and Ash. She motioned left before moving in that direction. "Synths can be dangerous in large enough numbers. Institute had tactical and technological superiority. How could two wastelanders take everything out. Espcially a merc as dangerous as Kellogg?"

"Maybe the Institute thought Kellogg was good enough not to require too many bodyguards?"

"Or maybe he had more. But the Institute left him to die."

"Why would they do that?"

"Beats me. That's why we're here. To try to find answers."

Thoughts ran around through Ash's head. The actions of the Institute make no sense. Why would the Institute let Kellogg die. And if the stories are true about Kellogg how could he be taken out by two wastelanders especially if he was supposedly backed by the Institute. Things don't add up. Ash concluded.

"Stop." Dusk said suddenly. There was a white light emanating from a wall. There was rectangle in the wall that resembled a door. It was slightly bent out of shape, which allowed light to exit the concealed room.

"No maintenance must've led to this." Dusk commented. She pried the door off its hinges and threw it to the side. "Rookie, take point." Ash raised his rifle and entered the white room.


	42. The Room

The light was blinding. The white was suffocating in contrast to the dark blood-red lighting of Dusk's flare inside the service corridor. Ash aimed left, right before inching forward. Once it was clear that there were no targets present he lowered his weapon and turned to Dusk.

"Room clear." He shouted.

"Good job, rookie. Take a breather." She said as she sat on a white storage container. She took off her helmet and let her long brown hair fall from its once fixed position. She sighed as she stared into the eyes ports of the helmet before setting it down. She looked up and noticed Ash was still standing. "What are you doing, rook? I said you could take a seat."

"I'd prefer to stand, ma'am."

"Sit down. Plenty of time to be macho and strong later." Ash hesitated but sat down at her insistence. He took off his own helmet and rested it on his knee. The room was cool. The air refreshing to the skin on his face. The helmet, while exemplary and maintain a comfortable environment once the suit was sealed, still lacked feeling as refreshing as the air outside. Ash looked up from his helmet and noticed that Dusk was cleaning her armor and helmet. Despite the armor being shiny and flawless she seemed to continue to clean it, scrubbing it with a white rag.

"Never thought I'd have the chance to fight a Courser." Dusk began. Ash blinked at her. She looked at him and recognized his dumbfounded look. "Right, you're barely qualified. Well, you're cleared to know that synths are generally categorized into three categories." Dusk raised a finger from her tedious task. "One, the foot solider. Those are the synths encountered in many places in the wasteland. The ones we use for target practice are some of the mangled ones we've captured over the past few months."

"And the others?" Ash asked.

"I'm getting there." She said as she continued to scrub one particular spot on her helmet. Again, thought shiny, she scrubbed and worked at it as though it were filthy. She raised a second finger to join her index finger. "Two, the synth leaders. Synths work in groups. There is always a leader that collects all the information gathered from all operating synths in the area. Those ones are the ones that lead operations and are able to adapt to our battle strategies and tactics. Hard to find and definitely hard to kill."

"So the last is the Courser?" Ash asked. Dusk paused and nodded.

"We've never seen one, let alone fought one." Dusk sighed. "Only the General's had that honor."

"Honor?"

"You must not understand the Pride very well, rookie."

"I guess not." He shrugged.

"Do you have a problem with how I like to fight?"

"Why could you consider violence to be fun? It's people like you that make up many raider gangs. They kill and pillage at will. If you like this kind of work why would call yourself or the Pride any different from them?" He asked. He then realized what he was saying. He was looking down on not only his profession but Dusk and the Pride's life. He was criticizing them for doing what they enjoyed doing as if pursuing their happiness was a bad thing. Dusk paused and gave Ash a small smile.

"We don't." She said softly.

"What?"

"We've never said we're different from the raiders or slavers or the mercs." Dusk said. "Never. At least the Pride's never done that."

"How could you say that?"

"Well, it's true. The Brotherhood was the only life I ever knew. So naturally, what I came to know and liked was formed and shaped by my life in the Brotherhood." Dusk said simply. She looked up at the ceiling. She did so as if she were staring up into a night sky rather just a simple white ceiling. With a reverence that made no sense to Ash. "I guess it all comes down to ideology. I used to think the Enclave was bad as a whole. Not that it was just their leader and some old archaic policies that kept all the bad stuff going. The General opened my eyes to the prejudices I held unconsciously simply due to ideology."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought the Enclave was bad simply because they didn't agree with the Brotherhood. I'm sure many in the Enclave thought the same way."

"So who is right then?" Ash asked. Dusk gave him a indifferent look. She casually shrugged.

"No one."

"So what's the point to all this?" Ash asked.

"What do you think?" She asked as she placed her helmet down and grabbed her laser rifle.

"I… I don't know."

"I don't know if anyone does." Dusk smiled. The first time she had done so in Ash's presence. "But I know that whatever the General decides to do. Wherever he goes. Whoever he picks a fight with. Win or lose, I'll follow him."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"That's not an answer."

"No." She smiled again. "It's not. But that's the way it is for everyone in the Pride. Once you're in, it's like a huge family. You just can't leave or even want to leave."

"So then you don't think the Brotherhood are bad?"

"Not in particular."

"The Institute?"

"They build stuff."

"Then why fight?"

"Why are you fighting?" She asked him. Ash realized that he too wore the uniform and power armor of an Enclave Trooper. He hated fighting but it was a necessity in the wastes. It was a tool for survival.

"To survive." He said.

"Sounds like you already know the answer." Dusk smiled once more before standing. She tied her hair in a loose knot before tucking it inside her helmet and once more than pale face was hidden behind a black emotionless helmet. "Let's start moving again." She said quickly before striding to the door opposite to the one they entered.

"Understood." Ash simply said and followed closely behind her.

"Thank you all for coming here." Shaun said quietly. Katherine twiddled with her thumbs while in her seat beside her now elderly son. The thought still made no sense to Katherine. "I understand you all have important work to do."

"It is no problem, Director." Dr. Li said curtly. "Tell us what you need."

"I want to introduce to you all the new Director of the Institute." Shaun said as he gestured to Katherine. Katherine waved awkwardly to the silent, baffled faces in the rom.

"Hi." She said quietly. Shaun smiled and seemed to be proud.

"I know this is a shock to some of you."

"Some of us?!" Dr. Ayo exclaimed standing from his seat. His hands slamming the table. Shaun's expression hardened. He glared at Dr. Ayo not unlike Nate did to many stray dogs around Santuary Hills.

"Do you have a problem with my decision, Dr. Ayo?" Shaun asked calmly.

"We have working here all our lives." Ayo explained. He looked at Dr. Li. "Well, maybe not for Dr. Li. But the rest of us…"

"Your point, Dr. Ayo?" Shaun interrupted. Ayo bit his tongue and his expression softened.

"I just think that we should have been consulted on this matter. I think we all deserved a shot to have become Director."

"Thank you, Dr. Ayo. Does anyone else have any objections?" Shaun asked. Dr. Li sat up in her chair. Shaun looked over at her calmly.

"With respect, I think that we do not fully trust your choice, Father." Dr. Li began. Shaun nodded. "Simply put, your 'mother' has just arrived days ago. Yet, she is already considered to be your replacement. I think that we have not yet had the opportunity to learn about your mother. Develop a relationship or connection with her. I think it would be more prudent to give this a bit more time."

"A very reasonable proposition Dr. Li." Shaun said. "But we don't have any more time. I am dying." Katherine looked over at Shaun at this sudden revelation. Shaun looked over at Katherine, his eyes, just like Nate's displaying shows of fear and anxiety.

"Shaun?" Katherine croaked.

"I'm sorry for not telling you before." Shaun spoke quietly. The other members of the Board were just as shocked.

"While I'm sure you had good reason to withhold this imformation from us before," Dr. Li began. "now that it has been disclosed I maintain my position."

"As do I." Ayo said. The other two heads said nothing.

"It has already been decided. Starting tomorrow, you will follow orders from my mother."

"And what makes you think you can just make us follow you?!" Ayo shouted standing once more. Two coursers materialized from the darkness, weapons raised. "You think you can do this to me? The Synth Retention Bureau will take no orders from this…"

"Care to finish that sentence, Dr. Ayo?" Shaun asked. His glare intense as ever. Yet he was still calm as weapons were aimed at him. Katherine slowly inched her hand towards her institute pistol.

"I have followed you faithfully for all these years. You were grooming me for Director!"

"I did no such thing." Shaun said calmly.

"Ayo…" Li began.

"Shut up!" Ayo said frantically. "I will not take this sitting down! He looked back at the Coursers." He nodded.

"Threats detected." One of the coursers said. Katherine drew her pistol. Two gunshots sounded and the two coursers fell to the ground. A third courser, clad in black courser duster and leather boots.

"Threats eliminated." A familiar voice said. Katherine met the courser's eyes and was again reminded of Nate.

"What?" Katherine mumbled.

"Please do not be alarmed." Shaun said calmly.

"Is everything all right, Father?" the courser asked.

"Yes. Everything is fine Nate. Please take care of the perpetrator."


	43. Confusion

"How big is this place?" Ash asked as he observed the huge cavern that the service tunnel in Fort Hagen led to.

"Only one way to find out." Dusk said.

"Shouldn't we find the rest of the team first, ma'am?" Ash asked. Dusk seemed to ignore him and began to climb down a ladder.

"I want to know what's down here." She said. "C'mon rook, let's get going." Ash rolled his eyes and followed her down the ladder.

"My name's Ash." He said as he neared the bottom.

"Is it?" Dusk asked, uninterested. "I think I like rook better."

"I figured you would." Ash muttered. Dusk kneeled by the an image on the floor.

"What was that?" She asked, clearly transfixed with the image on the floor over their conversation.

"Nothing." Ash responded. He looked around the room. Tiled in a drab green, it resembled a run-down hospital. "What are you looking at?" he asked.

"Take a look for yourself rook." Dusk said as she stood from her crouch position. It was a man standing with six arms. Ash felt it to be very familiar. "It's not that hard to figure out."

"The Institute." Ash murmured. Dusk made a dinging sound like a bell.

"We got a winner over here!" She said playfully.

"You are very different from what I expected." Ash said. Dusk gestured for him to follow down the hall that she decided would be her way of travel.

"And what did you expect?" she asked.

"Well, you are part of Alpha Squad." Ash began. "And there's the other name that circulates around the barracks. The Pri-"

"The Pride. Yes." Dusk said happily. "I am a member of the Lyons Pride."

"Wasn't that Brotherhood though?"

"All lot of the senior staff used to be."

"Then why?"

"Because we all know the General is a good person. If he says Maxson's gone over the line, then we have to stop and think. Is Maxson really betraying the ideal of Sarah Lyons."

"Wait, Sarah Lyons?"

"One of the Elders that all Brotherhood members look up to. Her father was probably a better Elder but no one could have been a better leader."

"What happened to her?"

"She was murdered."

Yuri eyed the room carefully. Niko fidgeted with his large machine gun.

"Almost done here." Gallows said quietly.

"Something doesn't feel right." Niko said.

"Oh shut up with your superstitious shit." Sam responded.

"It's not a superstition Autumn!" Niko shot back. "It's religion."

"It's a bunch of bullshit to me."

"Fact of the matter is something's not right." Niko insisted. "Captain Dusk has not returned yet."

"She's part of Alpha." Sam began. "She can handle herself."

"But Ash is with her." Yuri shot quietly. "He's a rookie."

"Yeah, but he's a rookie with an Alpha team leader." Sam said. "There's nothing to be worried about." The lights started turning off.

"What was that?" Gallows asked. At the end of the hallway the lighst illuminating the stairway shut off. Then the one next to it. And the next. And the next. They all started turning off in a line until a single light remained over a man clad in a white synth uniform. He had dark eyes, black hair and a hardened expression he held a bloody machete in his hand. Yuri raised her weapon at him.

"Contact rear!" She shouted. Then that light too, shut off.

Ash flipped his headlight on.

"Huh. That's weird." Dusk commented. "The lights turned off, they were working fine a minute ago." Then she shrugged and continued on her way. "No matter, that's what our kit is for."

"How can you be so nonchalant about everything?" Ash asked. "I thought all you rankers are all blood and guts. No-nonsense type people."

"Hey! I am all for blood and guts." Dusk protested. "But that doesn't mean I have to be a hard-ass about everything."

"Aren't you in the slightest bit worried about Team 2?" Ash asked.

"Nope. They have Gallows with them."

"Major Gallows?"

"Yup. He's probably the best Alpha member we have. Besides maybe the General himself."

"If you say so."

"R… Run!" Gallows croaked. The man held Gallows' throat so tightly that Gallows' eyes appeared to bulge slightly out of its socket.

"Yuri, go!" Sam shouted. Niko laid limp beside Gallows. Yuri felt frozen to the ground. She couldn't move.

"Now!" Gallows choked. Sam grabbed Yuri by the arm and rushed her out the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" the man asked. He threw Gallows across the room. Sam turned and saw Gallows three-hundred pound body at Yuri and himself. He pushed Yuri away allowing her to see the mass collide with Sam. Sam fell against the doorframe resulting in a terrible crack. Both men stayed limp and were no longer moving.

"Sam?" Yuri attempted. Her voice trembled.

"Yuri." A voice whispered. Yuri looked over and saw Niko. He lay on his back and she saw what the man had done to him. There was along horizontal gash running across his cheek and there was a red blot in the shape of a handprint on Niko's neck. "Run." He croaked. Then a flsh of white led to the man planting his knee on Niko's neck.

"No!" Yuri mumbled. She struggled to her feet and felt something stab her. She looked down and saw the tip of the machete jut out of her chest. Strangely, it didn't hurt. Yuri touched it and turned around. The man was still in the form of throwing the machete. Yuri's legs trembled before failing her. She fell to the ground and leaned against the door frame. She looked over at Sam. He was still unconscious. She reached out to him.

"I am really sorry for all this. I don't like to hit women." A voice said. Yuri struggled to breathe and realized that it was blood that restricted her from doing so. The man kneeled in front of her. Yuri's vision was blurring. He stabbed a stim-pak into her leg and slapped an strange ointment on Yuri's chest. "You're not going to go just yet. I need you to tell me everything you know about the Enclave."

"Who…" Yuri grunted. Her chest was feeling lighter. She was actually able to breath. She noticed the hole in her chest was closing. She wondered when the machete was taken out of her in the first place.

"You've been in and out for an hour." He said. "Like I said. I'm sorry for all of this. My name is Nathan Warner. You can call me Nate. But before I treat you and your friends. You're going to tell me everything you know about this Enclave. No one messes with my family."


	44. The Man in White

Ash flinched as Dusk kicked down yet another set of rust steel doors.

"What is it with you and doors?" Ash muttered to himself.

"The doors at the Citadel always got in my way." Dusk responded. Ash flinched hoping that Dusk wouldn't turn to face him because of his ill-timed comment. "This is my way at getting back at them."

"All this for something so trivial?"

"Nothing is trivial, rook." Dusk responded. "Enjoy the little things." Dusk noticed that the facility was getting older and more worn as the two traveled further down the tunnel.

"This place sure is weird. Some parts are really nice and well-maintained and the rest…"

"That means someone is maintaining it." Dusk concluded. She held her arm out to stop Ash. Ash nodded and moved to a supporting position behind her. Dusk dropped to a crouch and listened. A low growl from the end of the hallway.

"What is it?"

"Ferals." Dusk reached for her belt and grabbed a flare. She tore off the cap and lobbed the flare into the dark hallway.

"We have flashlights. Why would you use an emergency supply like that?" Ash asked.

"Watch." Dusk said quiet. Ash observed and realizes that the ferals were gathering at the flare, inspecting and studying it. They were completely oblivious to the fact that Dusk and Ash stood just yards away. "This is how a pro does it." Dusk said. She grabbed a frag grenade from Ash's vest and pulled the pin. She held it out to Ash's face. "Here, blow on it."

"What?"

"You're no fun." Dusk jested as she lobbed the frag into the group. Not a moment before it landed, the grenade exploded throwing chunks of feral meat and blood all over the walls and over Ash and Dusk. "Come on." Dusk said quietly as she dusted off her armor before standing. "Let's keep moving."

Yuri's vision faded in and out with the man clad in white being her sole focus. Often times the details of his face would elude her but his cold piercing gray eyes would always shine through.

"Stay awake. Stay with me." The man's soft voice drew Yuri back from the brink. The tone of his voice corroborated his earlier claim of sorrow over inflicting pain onto another. However, unlike the heroes of old who displayed mercy, this old soldier continued to press forward in his conquest. He slapped Yuri's face to wake her up. Her vision suddenly cleared, albeit with a stinging cheek.

"There." He said. "Now you're paying attention. Who do you work for? The Chinese? The Russians?"

"What?" Yuri managed to croak out.

"Tell me. You're a spy aren't you? One day I'm in Vault 111 and someone points a gun to my head. I black out and then here I am. Where am I? Why am I here? Where is my wife?" his voice grew from calm and collected, slowly and carefully enunciating each vowel, until it became a terrible roar of anger.

"I…" Yuri began. "What are you talking about." She whimpered. His brow raised as if in disbelief.

"You're really trying my patience here. You soldiers were clearing guarding me. Preventing me from leaving. Who do you work for?" He roared once more. In the corner of her eye, Yuri noticed a man counting a stack of Pre-War dollars meticulously. Dressed in a vest and slacks the man wore patrolman sunglasses and seemed amused in his task. He looked up and lifted the shades, revealing a pair of icy blue piercing suns. The man smiled before being enveloped in a field of blue. The man grabbed a crowbar from a place that Yuri could not see. "I guess I'm going to have to make you talk."

"No please don't." The man raised his arm high, Yuri's eyes following it as it went up with the instrument. Then he swung down.

BAM! The feral fell to the ground and slid a couple feet before slowing to a stop.

"Tango down." Ash shouted out.

"You don't need to shout, rook. We're in a hallway." Dusk commented. "But good shot. It went clean through." She stepped over the body and continued forward. Ash looked down and realized he had landed a headshot that sported an exit wound. Ash smirked to himself and ran after Dusk after realizing that she had gone far ahead of him.

"Why do you enjoy fighting so much?" Ash blurted. He stopped himself when Dusk paused in her step from the question.

"Why do you like to ask so many questions?" Dusk chuckled. "I never stopped to think about it."

"Why don't you?" They walked in silence for a bit as Dusk pondered the question. The low growls in the distance indicated the presence of ferals in the seemingly endless dark hallway.

"I guess I never slowed down enough to think about it."

"Would you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you ever consider stopping?"

"You know why we fight." Dusk said defensively. "It's to survive."

"I mean with the Enclave and all the military stuff."

"Maybe."

"Hold up. I think I see something." They reach a steel door. A small panel on the right of door glowed a sickly green. Dusk reached for it. Ash slapped her hand away. "What are you doing?"

"I'm opening it."

"Shouldn't we be more careful about moving through this place?" Ash asked.

"We are being careful. This has been an extremely long hallway and this is the only door besides the one we first passed through." Dusk refuted. "I'd say we're being too careful."

"Can we please just call in the other team first?" Ash asked. Dusk stared at Ash for a few seconds. She tapped the antennae on her helmet.

"Gallows, we're stuck in a strange facilitiy hidden in Fort Hagen. I'm pinging you my location." Dusk said into her microphone. "You read me, Gallows?" There was no response. Ash tapped on his own antennae.

"Yuri? Do you hear me? We're kinda lost inside Fort Hagen. We need help."

"Roger that." A strange voice said over Yuri's mike. "On my way."

"Did you hear that?" Ash asked Dusk. Dusk froze. "What is it?" Ash asked. He noticed that Dusk was staring down the dark hallway. Ash looked over and saw him. A man clad in white slowly walking towards them.

"Who's that?" Ash asked.


	45. The White Room

Yuri unleashed a roar that surprised her and smashed her fist against the man's head. The man flew back as she stood wobbly to her feet. The man staggered as Yuri simply rushed forward, slamming her shoulder into the man's chest. He fell back onto a desk, smashing it as Yuri drew her knife. She stumbled into a combat pose. The man wiped his mouth and inspected the blood stain on his once pristine white uniform.

"You can still fight." He murmured. "Impressive. Won't help you." Yuri panted as her vision blurred. _No, not now._ She stumbled forward as the man stepped and reached for her knife. Suddenly the wall exploded and metal arm grabbed the man. The arm reached from the darkness, yanked the man in white and dragged him into the darkness. Yuri collapsed and was surprised to find that another man had caught her.

"Yuri." General James murmured as she looked up at his face. "Are you okay?"

"You know my name?" she grumbled.

"I know everyone's names." He responded as he carefully leaned her against the brick wall. "Glade, get her back to the vertibird now."

"I'm on it, sir." A man clad in X-02 power armor said and lumbered over to her.

"You're alright now. We'll take it from here." James said and stood. Yuri reached for James and grabbed his sleeve. He turned back.

"There's something you need to know." Yuri said softly. She felt herself drift into the blackness.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"I was gonna say that." Dusk responded sarcastically.

"Really? Now?" Ash asked. The man drew a baton. It extended itself and unleashed an arc of electricity, which sparked and emitted an eerie blue light.

"Hey, rook." Dusk said as she drew a strange ]object from her belt. "Get that door open." She said. She seemed to press a button and short green triangular edge materialized from her wrist.

"What's that?"

"Alien tech. Arcade reverse-engineered it. Now, the door?" She asked.

"Right." Ash rushed to the console as the man ran towards Dusk. He slammed his baton downward as Dusk sidestepped the would-be attack. She expertly twisted away from the attack as she dodged and angled herself behind the man. As she did so, she nicked the man on his knee. It seemed a small cut to Ash, but the man was clearly limping in pain. Ash realized he had stopped to watch again and pressed the button. The door opened flooding the hallway in a bright light. Another man clad in a vest and slacks was already waiting inside. Ash recognized him instantly.

"X6." He murmured. X6 grabbed him and tossed him inside. The door closed enveloping the hall in darkness once more.

Dusk thrust her blade forward nicking the man on his cheek. However this was intentional as the man slapped Dusk's side with the baton. Though useless against regular power armor, Dusk was wearing the experimental. She flinched as he side exploded in pain from the shock. She jumped back and waved the blade around to disorient the man. The man affirmed himself into a defensive pose.

"Finally," Dusk said as she rubbed her side. "Some excitement." She drew her combat knife and twirled it in her left hand. She slashed forward causing the man to jump back. She ducked under his counterattack and landed an uppercut creating a line from his stomach to the base of his chin. The man roared and slashed desperately at Dusk. She parried one blow and realized that the experimental suit was not helping her against the man's brute strength. She slashed downward with the energy blade causing the man to stumble, leaving an opening. She stabbed downward with her knife.

"You have no idea what you've stumbled on." X6 said. He kicked Ash in the side as he tried to stand. Ash flew from the top of the stairs to the bottom. He couched and tried to stand. _What strength!_ He thought as he rushed to his feet. He lost his rifle in the fall. He drew his pistol and aimed it. X6 stood in front of the barrel as Ash began to search for his target. X6 slapped the pistol from Ash's hands.

"Sloppy." Brandis's words echoed in Ash's mind. Ash threw a jab at X6, who swatted it away easily. Ash threw a hook at X6 in vain, the synth weaved himself through Ash's defenses and grabbed him by the neck. It slowly lifted him off his feet.

"Such a waste." X6 murmured. Ash threw punch after punch at X6's steel beam of an arm. "You could have been so much more." Then ash remembered that Brandis had taught Enclave trainees a mnuever to get out of this position. Ash cupped his hands and slammed them into X6's ears. X6 displayed slight discomfort before throwing Ash from the second story of the room onto the ground floor. Ash coughed and rolled to his back. _Not what it was supposed to do, but I'll take it._ Ash stood up and taunted X6 to come down. The synth hastily jumped from the scaffold above onto the ground beside Ash. Ash maneuvered himself to a wobbly fighting position.

"I can do this all day." Ash panted.

"I'm sure you can." X6 commented. He smiled at Ash and took a step forward. Suddenly a blue light illuminated X6's face. The synth's expression changed suddenly, becoming very fearful. Ash turned slightly to see what had X6 so afraid.

James entered the room through a hole in the wall. Dragging the body of Yuri's attacker into it. James realized that the limp body had not moved at all since he had beaten the man through the wall. He picked up the limp man by the neck and shook him.

"Hey, you still alive?" James asked.

"What the?" Ash asked. His form still maintained while facing X6. X6 was also frozen.

"No way." X6 murmured. James, satisfied that the man was dead tossed the body into the room. James kicked in the remainder of the wall and stepped into the room.

"Hey, rookie. Where's Dusk?" James asked.

"uh…" Ash murmured.

"What, you mute or something?" James asked. Then James seemed to suddenly notice X6. "Oh, hey X6."

"This is too soon." X6 grunted as he became surrounded by a bright blue light. James dashed forward and grabbed X6's face in a metal armored face. Ash blinked and James smashed the synth through the floor. The blue light was gone. James lifted his fist and only the head returned with it.

"Ah shit. I broke it." James grunted. He tossed the dead synth's head aside and dusted off his armor. "Too much power." He looked up at Ash and then patted his armor down. "Ah, by the way, rook. Good job out there." He held out a hand to Ash, who took it dumbfoundedly.

"You just killed a Courser." Ash murmured.

"Yeah, no big deal." James responded. "So where's Dusk?"

"Right here." A voice called from above. A stun baton bounced off of James's head causing him to look up.

"Dusk!" He called out. Dusk stood, leaning against the rail, helmet under one arm.

"Dusk. You're all right." Ash commented.

"Of course I am." Dusk responded. "Dissapointed?" Ash stammered and James laughed.

"Still the same as ever I see." James said. He turned and grabbed X6's head. "This might be useful."

"What is this place anyways?" Dusk asked as she walked down the steps of the scaffold.

"No idea." James responded.

"Wait, what?" Dusk asked. "Seriously."

"Seriously. No idea any of this existed." James commented. He pointed his thumb at the cylindrical machine behind him. "I do want to know what that does thought."

"You know what it is?" Ash asked.

"Nope." James responded. "but it'd be cool to find out."

"That's the spirit!" Dusk exclaimed. James wiped the viewport of the tube.

"Hey this looks kind of life-"

"A cryogenic tube." A man said from above. James looked up immediately to find an old man clad in a lab coat standing above them. Countless Brotherhood Knights and Paladins stood beside him.

"Forgive my intrusion. But I am here to reclaim my stolen property." The man said.

"Sure it's yours old timer, or the Brotherhood's?"

"Neither. It belongs to my mother."

"Who are you?" Ash asked.

"Forgive me, where are my manners. My name is Shaun."

"But my followers call me Father."


	46. Mistakes

"You let people call you Daddy?!" Dusk shouted at the scientist on the scaffolding. "In public?!"

"Dusk…." James began.

"Oh my God." Ash muttered as he picked his pistol up from the floor. The Brotherhood Knights murmured amongst themselves. Father, visibly upset, looked back to an unseen person and then seemingly back at James.

"So you're the Director of the Institute." James said. His helmet's microphone amplified his voice.

"Yes." Father replied.

"You're a lot older than a thought."

"And you are a lot stupider than I thought."

"I'm flattered that you actually know about me." James smirked. He picked up the man from the ground. "Friend of yours?"

"I have many friends." James eyed all the Brotherhood Knights, weapons poised to fire.

"Well, people say that physical relationships aren't good for the soul. You need some real friends." James said.

"Hmm. You are as annoying as I thought."

"Wow, I managed to meet one expectation of yours. I impress myself." Dusk raised her hand for a high five which James met.

"Really? Now?" Ash asked.

"I'm just stalling rook." James whispered. "I always have a plan."

The roof erupted, flooding the once dark room with bright light. The sound of vertibird blades chopping at the air resounded and echoed within the small room. Three X-02 suits of power armor smashed into the ground beside James, Dusk, and Ash.

"I have a question for you, 'Father'." James said. "What is this anyways?" James threw the man into the machine. Red blood splattered the tube. "Whoops. Guess he's dead for sure now." He smashed his hand through the tube's lining and tore it back out with great force.

"You're making a mistake." Father responded.

"And what is that?" James asked. Ash looked at the tube. It began to glow a harsh red.

"ACTIVATING HYDRA PROTOCOL." A woman's voice on loudspeaker flooded the room.

"Hydra protocol?" Colvin asked. Suddenly, hidden doors revealed themselves and out came men clad in white Institute uniforms.

"This is the next step." Father said, gesturing at the men surrounding James.

"Clones?" James asked.

"You," One of the men growled.

"I'm pretty sure I killed you."

"They have memories?!" Ash asked.

"Thanks to data retrieved from the NORAD facility out West, I managed to recreate one of the President's most infamous experiments."

"Clones." James concluded.

"You know of this?"

"Yeah. For a while actually. I've been there too."

"You are very well traveled."

"Unlike you." James raised his arm. Ash noticed that he was holding a flare gun. James fired it, launching a bright red projectile into the air, as it neared the hole in the ceiling it detonated. A wave of red light overwhelmed the Knights, short circuiting the Brotherhood T-60s. "Eden now." James said quietly. A vertibird smashed itself through the remainder of theceiling. James grabbed X6's head and dashed out of the way.

Dusk maneuvered for a column. Ash looked up and noticed a piece of concrete falling with her name on it. Ash rushed forward and tackled her out of the way. Her helmet rolled off, revealing her cool blue eyes. They landed with Ash on the ground and Dusk on top.

"Isn't this a little fast for us, rook?" Dusk asked.

"Uh…" Ash responded. James grabbed Dusk's helmet and tossed it to her. She caught it and fastened it on her head. She offered a hand to Ash, who took it immediately.

"What's going on?!" Ash shouted.

"This way!" James gestured for Dusk and Ash to follow him to a rope hanging from the air. "Latches on!" he shouted. The vertibird in the ceiling destroyed the scaffold.

"Mark!" Dusk shouted. Colvin reciprocated with Glade and Vargas quickly following. Ash grabbed the rope and slapped his cavaveener onto it. Suddenly he felt himself lifted up into the air. As they rose, he locked eyes with Father's glare. Behind him was a woman that felt familiar to Ash. They flew into the air and Ash passed through the hole in Fort Hagen. The facility collapsed into itself.

"Everyone on board?" the pilot shouted.

"Shut up, Arcade! You know damn well we're still hanging out here." James shouted.

"Retracting line now." Arcade's voice said over the radio.

"What was the Brotherhood personnel there?" Colvin asked.

"Means Maxson's got a couple moles in his organization." Glade suggested.

"What about us?" Dusk asked. Ash frowned. Suddenly, Dusk's demeanor had changed. As if she had suddenly become a pessimist in the presence of the Pride.

"We'll let Eden take care of that." James said. The line reeled back into the vertibird. Dusk got on with Ash right behind her. James reached down and offered a hand. Ash grabbed it and felt himself pulled onto the vertibird. Alarms rang from the sheer weight of the personnel on board.

"James, I think you need to go paleo." Arcade said suddenly. "You've put on a few pounds."

James waved the comment aside and walked into the cockpit.

"Eden, did you track the energy signatures."

"Yes sir. Data suggests Father and all his personnel escaped out attack."

"Damn."

"One more thing."

"What's that?"

"I cross referenced what Father was talking about back there with some old Enclave files. He's right."

"About?"

"Cloning. President George Young did have plans to make a US Army based on clones before Anchorage."

"What a guy." Glade shouted over the wind.

"Any more on that?" James asked.

"no. The rest is POTUS eyes-only."

"Damn."

"So that's it then?" Ash asked.

"What else, rook? We're outta leads." Dusk said. Ash frowned once more. She seriously was a downer.

"No." James interjected. "We're not."

"What?" the personnel exclaimed.

"I know a guy. He knows George." James said.

"how is that possible?" Eden asked.

"You don't seriously think-" Arcade began.

"Yes, I do." James responded. "We need to go back to the Mobile Crawler and get briefed."

"What for?" Glade asked.

"We're going to New Vegas."


	47. Mission Briefing

Ash yawned as the vertibird shook in the air.

"Minor turbulence." Arcade muttered to himself as he flipped a few switches. "Correcting now."

Ash scanned the personnel bay of the vehicle. A hulking brute of man named Glade sat the in the middle, snoring away. Dusk and Colvin flanked him on either side. Both asleep as well. Ash sat just behind the pilot seat, adjacent to the left bay door. James sat on the floor of the vertibird, just beside the turret, one leg hanging out of the door. The turret stood unmanned, facing outward, ever vigilant as it faced the bright, white, full moon. Ash thought back to when they were on the Mobile Carrier.

"You did good today, rook." James said, patting Ash on the back. His strength caused Ash to flinch from the pat as if it were an actual hit. James laughed. Ash looked at Yuri's prone form as Glade and Kodiak wheeled her out of the second vertibird. Deck crew and medics rushed to help stabilize her. Gallows exited the vertibird limping and clutching his arm. It was clearly broken or dislocated as it swayed uncontrollably in the wind. A medic rushed to help him, but Gallows waved him off. Next was Sam in another stretcher and that was it.

"Are they going to be okay?" Ash asked.

"Worried about your friend?" James asked nodding at Yuri. Ash didn't respond. "She'll be fine. We take care of our own."

"One guy did all this." Dusk muttered as she walked past James and Ash, brushing James's shoulder. Ash stared wide-eyed at Dusk as she stomped into the mobile carrier.

"Don't worry about her either." James said softly. "She's just worried about Gallows."

"oh." Ash muttered.

"Well, rook." James began as he turned to face Ash. It was now evident to Ash that James was big in his own way. While not the hulking beast like Glade, he was tall. Ash was considered farily tall standing at five eleven. But James stood almost a full head above Ash. The light made it difficult to see James's expression but James placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "In light of today's events. I'd like to grant you a promotion to Corporal."

"Wow." Ash muttered. "Thank you, sir." He managed this time more enthusiastically. James smiled and started towards the Mobile Carrier. "By the way rook."

"Yes, sir?"

"Welcome to the Pride."

James sat staring out at the rocky mountains below. Herds of Bighorners stampede around, still active late into the night. James looked into the personnel bay and smiled at his squad members getting some rest. They had a long day. James pulled his leg into the vehicle and righted himself. He groaned as he attempted to make himself more comfortable. He thought back to the briefing on the carrier.

"Where's the rook?" Dusk asked as James walked in. He couldn't help but smile.

"Why?" James asked playfully. Dusk paused.

"No reason."

"Okay."

"Everyone get seated!" James shouted into the room. He waited for all the Pride members to shuffle into their seats. Morales ran into the room, late yet again, dropping a few folders and a tablet. James picked up the tablet and dusted it off. He handed it back to Morales, who smiled awkwardly and placed the pbjects on the table. Arcade entered the room and James nodded at him.

"This is the result of our analysis on the data recovered from Fort Hagen." Arcade said bringing up a long list of characters and names. The blue holographic image materialized itself in the middle of the room with the room darkening to allow an easier time reading. A hand shot up in the darkness. It belonged to Kodiak.

"What is this list for?" he asked. James looked over at Aracade, who maintained a very serious expression. Rare for Arcade to be so focused and serious.

"It's a list of all the synths that have gone missing from the Institute." He announced. The room was quiet.

"So what?" Glade asked after what seemed like hours.

"It means the Institute has known about their missing synths for a long time." Arcade responded. "That means that they're playing us. They're playing the Railroad."

"Figures." Vargas muttered.

"I thought this was about our mission to New Vegas, sir." Dusk said. "All due respect of course."

"Yes this is." Arcade responded. "There are just two names I wanted to highlight for you all."

A bright white light isolated two names from long list of names.

ASH GRAYSON – TR-08.

DANSE – M7-97.


	48. Just My Luck

James looked out into the darkness. A single line of light permeated the night sky. Cutting straight through the blue-black of night. The vertibird passed over a ridge and revealed a bright, glowing city far below.

"New Vegas." James murmured.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Arcade asked.

"Not long enough." James muttered.

"You know." Arcade began. "You never did tell me how and when you met Hale."

"And I'm not going to." James responded. As the vertibird passed over a highway lined with caravans James noticed that large amounts of military trucks surrounded the entire city. It was as if it was ready so a siege of some kind.

"What's going on here?" James asked himself.

James cracked his neck as he stepped out of the vertibird. He looked around. The four vertibird fleet that had accompanied him from Boston had all arrived. The entire Lyons Pride stood before him, armed to the teeth with power armors activated. They stood on a seemingly recently built helipad. James scowled as a white light shone over him, blinding him before his eyeports adjusted to the new light. An elevator opened its doors and a line of soldiers wearing identical armor filed out of it. They lined themselves to one per member of James's posse.

James watched them carefully. Their armor was extremely high quality. He felt confident that their designer could probably give Arcade and Eden a run for their money. He noticed that the weapons that the soldiers wielded were also unorthodox in that they were slimmed down modified laser weapons. The experimental type that government kept in NORAD. James raised his fist and the Pride moved to counter the soldiers. Now the lines of both sides lined themselves one to one. Not unlike a game of Pre-War football. James stood in front of the Pride while another man in modified blue armor stood, arms crossed behind his back stood parallel to James. He wore a helmet with a T visor making it clear that it was President Young's design. It was one of the ones that James had found when scouring the National Archives while he was much younger.

The man strode towards James. James stood a full foot above the man, but the man remained indifferent, as if confident that he could take James in a fight.

"State your name and purpose for landing on the Lucky 38 Casino." The man stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm here to see Courier Six." James responded coldly. The man stared up at James.

"State you name and purpose for landing on the Lucky 38 Casino." He repeated. James reached into his pocket slowly, the man placed a hand on his laser pistol. James rummaged in it and withdrew a small, silver lighter. It had the Lucky 38 symbol on it and a personal, stylized 6 on the opposite face. He handed it to the man. The man inspected it before handing it back respectfully.

"Forgive me, sir. I had no idea it was you." The man responded.

"You know me?" James asked.

"Not personally. But I've heard of you." The man responded. "You can call me Axe, I'll have my men stand down." He said. He made a strange hand gesture and the man stepped aside.

"Please, follow me." Axe stated before turning on his heel and starting for the elevator.

"That was refreshing." Kodiak commented on the team radio feed.

"You think so?" Ash asked.

"Never met anyone so organized before." Colvin admired.

"Think they can take us?" Glade asked.

"Probably." James responded. "Let's not push it."

"So how do you know this guy, boss?" Dusk asked.

"Did a few jobs together." James responded. "Worst jobs of my life."

"That bad, sir?" Colvin asked.

"No question."

"We've arrived." Axe stated loudly. The elevator slowed to a stop. The doors opened revealing a huge, elegant living room.

"Holy-" Glade commented. The team filed out into the suite. A swimming pool lined the ground floor. The huge exterior windows of the window covered the sides.

"I always hated this place." James muttered.

"This place is amazing!" Dusk said, in awe.

"I'm glad you like it." Said a familiar voice. James turned and faced a tall, chiseled man standing beside Dusk. He wore a white tuxedo, drink in hand and cigar in the other. He grinned at James and waved at the suite.

"All mine now." He stated. He walked past Dusk and stood face-to-face with James. Even in power armor, James only stood at the same height as this man.

"Hale." James said quickly.

"James. So nice to see you." Nathan grinned. He started down the steps to the ground floor.

"Hold up." Dusk said. You're that guy from Quincy!" she exclaimed.

"You guys are welcome here. Make yourselves at home!" he announced, ignoring Dusk's statement.

"Seriously?!" Colvin asked.

"Cool." Glade commented.

"You guys are just like children." Dusk groaned.

"Still quite the actor." Arcade chuckled. James grumbled.

"James, to the library please!" Nathan called from below. James begrudgingly followed.

"So you still live in the Presidential Suite and not the Penthouse." James said cooly. Nathan poured himself a shot of whiskey and handed James the bottle. James looked it over before setting it down on the table next to him. Nathan sat down on the velvet couch next to James and sighed.

"Penthouse will always belong to House." He said, puffing on his cigar.

"Even after you killed him?" James asked.

" _Especially_ after I killed him."

"Why? You helped him take over this place."

"Because I wanted this place."

"You gave it to the NCR though!"

"Because I wanted to deal with the Legion." Nathan pointed to a scar that ran from his eyebrow to his check on the right side of his face. It was now quite faded compared to when James last saw him. "Still have a score to settle."

"After all this time?"

"Of course."

"You dealt them yet?"

"No." Nathan sighed. "Even after inheriting House's belongings and the NORAD facility, even Flagstaff is beyond my reach."

"So what's this status of this place now?"

"Since when did you care about New Vegas politics?" Nathan asked.

"Since I noticed the build-up of NCR military all around this place. They looking to lay New Vegas under siege?"

"Hell no. I own this place. They're not going to go up against the Savior of the New California Republic."

"I see you've managed to work on that humble attitude we talked about. What's really going on, Nate?" Nathan sighed and downed the whiskey in one go.

"NCR's at war, bub. Only a matter of time before the stalemate up North gives way."

"Good or bad?" James asked. Nathan shrugged.

"At this point, I don't know."

"You were still NCR when you came to the Capital last year."

"Nope, contracting. Mr. Young wanted an audience, remember?"

"Oh shit." James said. "He still wants that?"

"Nope. NCR's locked him up somewhere in Baja."

"I thought he was director of the OIA"

"Internal Affairs? You kidding me?"

"That's what you told me."

"Right. You're East Coast. He was locked up ages ago."

"Why?" Nathan shrugged.

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"Something."

"Like what?"

"Why do you care?" James glared hard at Nathan.

"He's my friend too." Nathan puffed on his cigar and sighed.

"Axe is working on it. Aren't you?"

"Yes, sir." Axe replied, still at attention standing beside Nathan's couch.

"So what are you here for anyways?" Nathan asked.

"I was going to have a chat with Mr. Young, but seeing that he's indisposed…"

"'Bout what?"

"Clones." Axe seemed to flinch when the word came up. James pushed it aside and pretended not to notice. Nathan glared at James, trying to read his expression.

"I don't know much about the subject. But I can grant you access into NORAD."

"You can do that?"

"I own the place." Nathan grinned. "And New Vegas for that matter."

"What are you talking about?" James asked. "Isn't NCR territory?"

"Not anymore." Nathan responded. "Like I said. NCR's in war."

"And you're out?"

"Yup."

"For good?"

"Done."

"Why the change of heart?" James asked. Nathan's expression hardened. "Fine don't tell me. So you want to come out with us to the place or-"

"Whoa there, hold your horses. I need you to do something for me first."

"Wait what?"

"I need you to go find Benny and shoot this into that son of a bitch." Nathan smiled as he held a silver .45 caliber pistol round with Benny's name on it.


	49. The Canyon

"I might have found our a-hole." Ash said. Dusk looked through her scope. "I'm tagging him with the-"

"I have him." Dusk said before pausing. "Yup, that's our guy." Ash noticed that the man flicked the cigarette away and reached into his suit. "What's he reaching for?" Dusk asked. Ash looked through the scope and squinted his eyes in an attempt to see what he was reaching for. The man pulled out a pistol.

"What the Hell?" Ash exclaimed.

"I see it."

"What do we do?" Dusk didn't respond. The man named Benny pointed his pistol up into the fired. A bright red flare shot up into the air before exploding. The resulting explosion lit up the night sky momentarily. Ash watched the light flash off his scope, he quickly shoved it down to the ground.

"Shit."

"It's okay, rook. They know we're here anyways." Dusk said patting Ash's shoulder. Ash turned and now noticed at least five men in white suits standing behind them, submachineguns drawn.

"What do we do?"

"What do you think?" Dusk asked. Ash knew she was probably smiling under her helmet. She turned suddenly, throwing a knife. The knife flew like a missile and slammed into the eye socket of one of the men. He slumped backwards, his gun arm pointed upward as his finger pulled the trigger.

Ash turned as a burst of rounds shot into the sky. Dusk grabbed the arm of the man closest to her and judo-flipped him over her shoulder. Ash tackled one of the men and pinned him to the ground. Dusk drew her pistol and squeezed off a round. A man fell to the ground just as Ash stood, gloved fist caked in blood and sand. Ash drew his own pistol and fired, getting the last kill as Dusk aimed her own pistol. She raised her pistol and looked at Ash. She nodded and picked up her rifle before retrieving her knife.

They didn't have much time. The Fiends would be aware of their presence if not before.

"Let's go." Dusk commanded.

James stared out of the vertibird at the moon. It swooped over another rocky hill. Again, he sat leg hanging out, as if expecting a crash of some sort. Though back in the Mojave causing old memories and scars to reveal themselves to James. He could not help but think of Katherine. He wondered how she was doing while under prisoner of the Institute. How he had acted irrationally. He should have given up everything to find her. Why didn't he? He should have stopped at nothing short of finding her and bringing her home. Why did he let work and other responsibilities consume? Why didn't he try harder?

James shook his head and continued to stare at the bright moon as he often did the first nights outside of Vault 101. He was a terrible friend, he concluded.

"ETA five minutes." Arcade's voice popped into James's helmet.

"Alright."

Dusk tumbled down the slope, planting her left arm into the cliff face to slow her descent. Ash did his best to follow. Thought now a member of the Pride, he clearly was no lion. Dusk leapt over a rock and onto a goat path. The flat ground proved comforting. The camp below was livid with activity. As if they had angered a nest of ants, the Fiends gathered arms all throughout the camp. Dusk aimed her rifle, Benny still stood on the balcony.

"Lucky bastard." She grunted. Ash rolled to a stop at Dusk's feet, his head coming into contact with his boot just as he stopped. She looked down at him.

"hi." He mumbled.

"Get up." She grunted and offered a hand. She helped Ash to his feet and pointed to the next trail below. "Aim for that." She said once before beginning her climb down. Ash sighed and followed.

Dusk hid behind a rock as a Fiend patrol passed. She held out her arm at Ash, who flinched back as he hid. She waited for the light from their torches to fade. Dusk waved her hand forward. She stepped out from behind the rock, weapon raised. Ash followed but aimed the opposite direction to cover her back. Dusk turned and tapped Ash's back, indicating that she was going to move in front of him. Ash lowered his weapon, allowing Dusk to take point. They followed the trail as it descended into the mine.

Dusk choked a Fiend until he was unconscious. She wrung his neck and tossed him to the side of the cave.

"Was that necessary?" Ash asked.

"It's that or leave him to wake up and tell his friends we're here." Dusk responded simply. She continued forward. Ash stared at where the man was last seen and remained silent. He followed.

Dusk entered a hallway and aimed her weapon carefully as she cleared the hallway.

"Clear." She said quietly. Dusk felt bad for Ash, he wasn't a hardened veteran per-se. James let him in to distract him from his crippled friend. Ash wasn't ready for the Pride. And yet she still asked that Ash be her partner for this op. Why?

Dusk rushed forward and kicked open the door. A Fiend jumped from his seat, dropping an inhaler of jet. Dusk moved with unusual speed and grabbed his arm. She twisted her torso and threw the man through the crumbling wall. He flew in a 180 degree arc before Dusk let go. As the man groaned and shifted his head, Ash shot him. This act surprised Dusk, who had already drawn her pistol and had it aimed at the man's head. She raised her pistol, nodded her approval before continuing.

"Where's Benny?" Dusk asked. She had her barrel lodged in the man's mouth. The man teared up, creating stains on his once-white suit. The room was littered with countless bodies of men in suits and Fiends. Ash reloaded his rifle and checked for survivors. She looked closely at the man and brought her helmet closer to the man's face.

Despite the ugly design, the Enclave X-02 design was distinct in the manner that it terrified the opposing side. This feature was kept in the redesign by Arcade and Eden, who both felt that fear could be useful in certain situations. Dusk felt it apt to appreciate the fearsomeness of her former enemy.

She was unbearably close to the man, with her mask brushing against the man's nose. There was no doubt that in the darkness, the helmet was surely much more imposing than what is imaginable. She slammed her fist into the rock face beside the man. He flinched as Dusk cleaved a large chunk off the rock face. She said nothing and pointed at the man's face. The man's eyes widened before he began to nod slowly. Dusk removed her pistol but kept it aimed carefully at the man's heart.

"Promise me you'll let me go." He stammered.

"No promises." Dusk said.

"B-but-"

"You're lucky to be alive." Dusk growled. She nodded towards his former friends. Foretunately, Ash ahd found a survivor at that moment. The woman reached out towards the man before Ash shot her in the head. The man shuddered. Dusk looked over and noticed a blood spot on the back of her white suit. It was near where her spine should be. Perhaps Ash didn't kill her for dramatic effect?

"I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Now."

"He's in the panic room."

"Why?"

"I dunno."

"You need to do better than that."

"Has somethin' to do with him pissing off the Courier."

"How'd he do that?"

"He reminded the Man who put him in charge in the first place."

"Wait, Benny put the Courier in charge of this place?"

"Sorta."

"Explain."

"You ever hear of a bot named Yes Man?"

The dust flew into the air and fluttered down from James's landing. Fiends surrounded him. But he wasn't alone. One by one, another member of the Pride slammed into the ground.

"Okay, Eden. Time to get to work." James said. He was aware that his eye lights flicked on, flashing a white beam in his area of sight. Probably freaking out the Fiends high on Jet. Kodiak and Glade opened fire before the Fiends had time to think to fire first. The canyon lit up with gunfire.

"There." Eden said, highlighting a concrete structure. James lifted his Fat Man and loaded a Mini Nuke into its launder and fired. "Armor lock!" James shouted. All the Pride members planted their feet to the ground as James's tesla armor upgrade activated. It was modified to emit a small field of electricity. It was strong enough to shield them from shockwaves and bullets for a short amount of time. According to Eden and Arcade that is. The explosion, though very close, had no effect on the Pride members. The field fell as the Fiends began to pick themselves up from the ground. James grabbed one by the face and lifted him high.

"Where's Benny?" he asked calmly.

Dusk kicked in the door to Benny's panic room.

"For a panic room," Dusk began as she blocked a stab from one of Benny's men. "This isn't very secure." Dusk headbutted the man, causing him to drop to his knees, forehead bloodied and body limp. Benny drew a silver pistol and fired twice. The rounds richocheted off Dusk's helmet. She stormed at him and slammed her fist into his face. Benny flew to the floor as Ash walked into the room. He noticed a few white objects on the floor.

"How many?" Dusk asked.

"I count five, but one of them looks like it's been cracked off something else." Ash responded.

"That's gross."

"You're the one who wanted to knock out some of his teeth."

"So how much was the pool?" she asked.

"1500. You only knocked out five. You said at least six." Ash responded. Dusk grabbed Benny by the collar and raised her fist.

"Well, we can fix that." she began.

"Hey, you said in one punch. You already had your turn." Ash objected. Dusk lowered her fist but kept Benny raised.

"Damn." She muttered. "So what do we do with him?"

James tossed the man aside as the Pride gathered prisoners. Kodiak gathered kids and civilians that were kidnapped or forced to work. James walked over to the concrete foxhole that now had a huge gaping hole.

"Benny!" He shouted. "I know you're in there! Come out, I just want to talk!" No response.

"I guess he's a no show?" Glade asked.

"I guess so." A grunt later, a white figure flew out of the hole, fell two hundred feet by splattering onto the ground beside James. The body rolled to a stop, entangled in its own mangled limbs. The man groaned softly. James grabbed his face and inspected it.

"It's him." James announced.

"How many?" Glade asked.

"Four!" James announced. The Pride cheered. "Drinks on Dusk!" They cheered even louder. James dropped Benny, and he groaned once more. James looked at him, saddened by his crushed body and aimed Nathan's pistol. He thought back to their conversation.

"You still haven't killed him?!" James exclaimed.

"Trust me, I've wanted to. But he's more useful than I'd like to admit."

"Then keep him."

"He's been working behind my back. Usurping my authority."

"Then kill him."

"Not that simple."

"Man, do your own dirty work."

"Listen, I want you to do this so I have time to get my guys ready."

"For what?"

"I'll tell you when you get back."

"Fine. I will go to the Springs after this."

"Sure."

James glared at Benny. He whimpered some incoherent words.

"Sad." James muttered and fired.


	50. The Mojave

James fixed his tie as he road the monorail into New Vegas. Nathan had insisted that he wear a tux back into the city. Though unsure of Nathan's intentions, James grudgingly replied thought he had to admit, he looked great in a suit. Evidenced by the wandering eyes of a few NCR officers and even some members of the Upper Class- Ultra Luxe. James flashed a grin at one cute gambler in particular as the rail doors opened. He stepped out quickly and ran into Lt. Morales, who wore a streamlined Enclave dress uniform. Hastily fashioned from a spare tux of Nathan's in the Lucky 38.

"Morning, sir." Morales chirped, following James as he passed the young officer with a short nod.

"Any news from the front lines?" James asked abruptly. Morales quickly shifted his Pip-Boy screen before reading off the screen.

James had just learned that the Brotherhood imitated a purge along the inside of the CPG territory. The south had just been cleared of raiders and various other wasteland creatures. This left the Minutemen exhausted and stretched thin when the Brotherhood began a massive ground push from South up.

Strange tactic on Maxson's part, as Maxson usually relied on the speed of his vertibirds for quick movements through enemy territory. As far as James could tell, the Enclave fighter fleet managed to slow the Brotherhood until reinforcements could arrive. This materialized in the form of the newly formed Alpha Company. This company of over 500 Enclave troopers are fully trained professional soldiers equipped with the new X-02 Mk. II Power Armor. The Troopers mostly came from the Capital and originally planned to enter the ranks of the Brotherhood. However, when Maxson left, this dream was crushed leaving many of the soldier's with resentments against the man.

According to Brandis, Alpha Company was the finest group of soldiers he had ever contributed to train. This was because Arcade's friend Cass had also helped to train the upstart recruits. Their individual brand of drill sergeant mentality and Trial by Fire mentalities led to cooperation and collaboration. Alpha is the first achievement of the new Enclave. Arcade hoped they would serve well alongside Preston's Minutemen.

Morales looked up from the Pip-Boy as James leaned against the brick wall of the monorail station. James nodded and gestured for Morales to follow. James slipped his hands into his pockets, a habit he had now just developed when deep in though. Safety and security in New Vegas (of all places) had begun to affect him.

Morales, while a capable assistant, was inexperienced. He was not fit for his rank as officer, yet also not fit for combat. Morales, as far as James could tell, was a genius. The young officer planned and executed countless Pride Operations leading many in the Pride referring to him as the Calculator.

James frowned as he looked up at the Tops Casino. Benny's place. James strode forward and took a key from his pocket. It held a small toy 9mm pistol, covered in silver paint. A tiny inscription on the weapon labeled it to be Maria. James unlocked the casino and opened the doors.

The hall was quiet, dark and dusty. Just as James had figured, the casino had been closed for years. The Tops was being renovated by a local construction company. The entire top half was destroyed and the foundation for the new place had been established. Raising the amount of floors to eighty five. However as Benny had left, caps ran out and the construction company abandoned the project.

James rubbed his chin as he stared at a broken ad stand talking about some group called the "Rad Pack".

"Morales, does the Enclave Archives have anything on safe houses, vaults, or anything of the like?" James asked.

"Checking now, boss." Morales said. He paused. "Eden says there's a couple vaults still untouched with a few safe houses all around the Mojave." James chuckled, impressed with power and the connections the Enclave had before becoming the weakened, sad organization to test him in D.C.

"Send out the call." James said suddenly.

"What call?" Nathan asked, appearing from the shadows, Ultra Luxe, cane in hand while dressed in a jet black tux. A top hat sat angled slightly on his head as he trailed along at least three groupies from the luxurious casino.

"I've been rebuilding the Enclave." James said. Nathan's expesssion was unreadable but something in his smile led James to believe he was annoyed.

"I know." Nathan replied. "I was at Quincy, remember?"

"Only for a short time." James retorted. He paused to think and remembered Nathan appearing and disappearing during the Quincy ordeal. "Why were you at Quincy?" Nathan's smiled remained fixed on his face when Nathan whispered to the girls that trailed him. They groaned and left him, shooting some air kisses at him or begging him to follow. Nathan tossed aside the Ultra-Luxe cane and stepped into the light.

"I need something done." Nathan said.

"And what's that?" Nathan tossed a silver coin at James. James caught it as it glinted in midair.

"That there's the Platinum Chip. Go to Fortification Hill. Find the Weather Station. I'll meet you there." Nathan said before walking towards the door. James grabbed his arm.

"Why do I need to go there?"

"Just do it." Nathan insisted before walking out.

"Sir? The call's gone out. Eden's already getting some pings out there."

"Gather them in the Tops." James said. "We have a lot of work to do."


	51. Thumbs Down

"Get down!" a voice shouted. Jason ducked his head instinctively as a rocket flashed overhead before planting itself into a tree. A body fell beside him and Jason held back the urge to vomit. He fixed his clue CPG helmet before firing wildly at the flashes from the tall grass of Murkwater. His pipe rifle clanked out bullets until a ping shot out the final round. Jason ducked under the dirt trench and fumbly reloaded his rifle.

"Where are our reinforcements?!" a woman shouted. Firing her own pipe rifle. Jason turned and watched the silver suits wade through the swamp.

"It's the suits!" a man shouted. Jason's eye widened.

"Fuck. They said this would be an easy post." Jason muttered.

"Open fire! Keep them back!" The sergeant shouted. A bright beam flashed past Jason's face. A scream later, James turned back towards the suits and raised his rifle. He pulled the trigger, releasing a stream of .45 rounds at the suits.

"Do .45s even slow these fuckers down?!" the woman asked.

"No idea!" Jason responded. "Just keep shooting." The suits began to charge forward, gaining momentum. Jason reached into his Minutemen pouch and grabbed a pulse grenade. "Pulse out!" he shouted. He lobbed the explosive far into the swamp watching the first suit arrive at it. It didn't notice. A blue field of electricity shorted the suit the and fried the operator. As training had indicated.

Jason continued firing but the suits began to overrun the Minutemen position.

"Romeo Actual, pull out. Alpha's arrived." A voice chirped over the radio. A P-80 rocketed overhead. Seeing as the Sergeant was down, Jason raised his arm.

"Fall back!" He shouted as the first green blobs hit the water.

James headbutted the man who attacked him.

"Retribution." He muttered silently. Jason held the man's throat tight. He remembered these words.

"What." James growled. "Did you just say?"

"True to Caesar," the man struggled "Scum" James crushed the man's windpipe before tossing him to the side. He stepped through the gates of the Fort. He pushed the doors open finding all Hell to be breaking loose. Dusk rained brass rain from above as the vertibird circled overhead. The minigun cut down enemies that James could not see. Nathan, wearing some body armor with a trench coat over his gear stepped from the one of the tents. Nathan quickly hid a machete as he did so.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time." Nathan chuckled. A man wearing a fox hat charged him. James drew his pistol but Nathan beat him drawing a highly stylized black .44 revolver. Nathan fired once and the man rolled to the ground.

"Why the long wait?" James asked.

"NCR bureaucrats." Nathan grumbled. "Come." James followed him as the Pride cut down man after man in the strange camp.

Nathan pushed aside the flap to the tent and held up his revolver.

"So you have returned." A voice growled from the darkness. Though the voice was not really a growl but more like metal grating on metal.

"Lanius." Nathan said. "It's nice to see you too."

"Has the time come?" Lanius asked.

"I wouldn't be here otherwise." Nathan said. Suddenly, flames lit up the darkened tent, momentarily blinding James. When his eyes recovered, he saw a hulking mountain of a man, dressed in a golden suit of armor. Terrifying red eyes lit up as Lanius stood from his golden throne. James placed his hand on his holster.

"Good." Lanius grated. "It is time for our clash once more."

"James, would you do the honors?" Nathan asked. James nodded and signaled Eden to activate the plan. Suddenly, six members of the Pride shot down from the ceiling landed in a circle that surrounded Lanius. Lanius hefted his huge broadsword.

"Up to your tricks once more." Lanius said. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He slashed at Dusk, who sidestepped it and slammed her fist into Lanius's helmet, cracking it. Glade kicked Lanius's knees, causing him to stumble. The sword smashed into Ash's chest, throwing him out the side of the tent. Glade grabbed Lanius from behind and suplexed him into the ground.

Lanius responded with unexpected swiftness by shaking everyone off him. He leapt to his feet just as James tackled him. However, Lanius's immense size rendered James's tackled to be useless. Lanius wrapped his arms around James's torso and lifted his into the air.

"Shit." James said as Lanius through him into Glade. Lanius grabbed his sword and stabbed it at Colvin. Colvin jumped back at the last second, avoiding the attack, however the whiplash caught Vargas into the head, knocking his helmet off. In the instant of Vargas's error, Lanius grabbed him by the throat and crushed his throat.

"Vargas, I'm coming!" James shouted and ran for the two of them. Lanius threw Vargas into the ground and slammed a huge fist into Kodiak's stomach. Reeling from recoil of his counter, Lanius slammed his sword through Vargas's chest.

All sound ceased as time slowed for James. He was taken back to the scene of his father's death.

James Sr. Stood in front of James. Hand on glass. He locked eyes with James.

"Run." He managed before collapsing. James roared as he slammed his knee into Lanius's helmet. Lanius reeled back from the attack as Glade took a piece of rebar and cement and slammed into into Lanius's knee with a deafening crack. Dusk jumped onto the man's back and shoved her knife into one of Lanius's red eyes. Lanius roared as he grabbed Glade and slammed his fist against Glade's helmet numerous times before pulling Dusk off his back. Kodiak rushed forward and tackled Lanius to the ground. This was allowed due to Lanius's broken knee. Colvin grabbed the rebar and slammed it on Lanius's face as James arrived and drew his 1911.

"You still have that?" Nathan asked.

"Yes." He fired into Lanius's other eye. The man made no sound, laying on the ground. He breathed in and out as the blood pooled under him. Nathan knelt beside Lanius's head.

"Do it." Lanius whispered. Nathan took hold of Dusk's knife and shoved it through the helmet with a sickening force.

"It's done."

"What the fuck was all of that?" James asked.

"A gentlemen's agreement." Nathan responded. James looked back at Vargas, who lay still at the center of the courtyard. The sword still jutting out of the ground as if he were some sick display.

"You just cost me a friend." James growled.

"You'll make more." James bit his lip, fearing he'd lose his temper. He walked back to Vargas's body. Dusk stood from where she knelt. She had her helmet off, she turned and saw James before nodding and slipping the helmet back on. Her eyes appeared to be red to James. James took hold of the sword.

"What do we do with the sword?" Kodiak asked. James pulled with all his strength but it didn't budge.

"Vargas deserves better than this." James muttered. Ash stepped forward, helmet under his armpit. He scratched his hair and stared at the body.

"Sorry, I should've been more careful. I shouldn't have let hi-"

"Don't worry about it." James responded. "It's war." Then James turned and walked off. He stopped at the entrance when he heard a sickening sucking sound. He turned and watched as Ash pulled the sword from the ground.

"What do we do with the sword?" Ash asked, waving the huge blade around.


	52. The Road to War

The chain chugged along the lonely mountain trail. Ash wondered when was the last time it was ever used. He slowly patrolled the open train car. Two large flak turrets chugged as they swerved left and right, searching for new targets.

"Alright, squad check in." James's voice squawked over the radio.

"Dusk, all clear in the weapons bay."

"Glade, arm cart looks okay."

"Colvin here. Lead car chugging away with no problems."

"Kodiak. VIP is secure."

"Ash here. Flak turrets 3 and four still operational."

"Even in this cold?"

"Looks that way." Ash responded.

"What'd I tell you?" Nathan's voice cut into what was supposed to be a secure channel.

"What the—"

"I paid good money for quality security features."

"Does this guy ever stop gloating about his money?" Dusk asked.

"You know I can hear you."

"Your point?"

Ash shivered as the train exited a tunnel and re-entered the snowy Appalachian mountains.

"Looks like we'll arrive in about three hours." Arcade's voice said from the vertibird hovering above. "Right on schedule. I wonder how things are back home?"

"Charge!" Preston shouted, hoping that he and his voice would rally the remaining Minutemen. He vaulted over the sandbag fighting positions and fired with his laser musket. A stray round had destroyed his plasma rifle the day earlier so Preston was relying on old kit. _Better this way_. An old Minutemen stood beside Preston, ducking under laser fire while returning fire with his revolver.

"Been a while, eh boy?" the man asked. Ducking his head to the side and narrowly dodging a laser round.

"Do I know you, old timer?" Preston asked. He tossed a baseball grenade into the Brotherhood lines. The ball exploded throwing dirt into the air. A Field Scribe flew into the air, spinning. Preston drew his pipe pistol and fired the pistol in one hand while the other fired his last laser musket round. He tossed the musket aside and backed into the Castle's broken walls. The old man approached Preston once more.

"Just a stranger, sir. Here to help in any way I can." He said. A Brotherhood Initiate rushed forward, clutching a primed frag grenade in his hand.

"Grenad-!" Preston shouted. A shot rang out and the grenade exploded. Preston whistled. "Nice shot old timer." He turned to his left, where the man was, but he had disappeared. "Where- What?" He looked back and saw that smoke now enveloped the tree line. The Brotherhood were withdrawing.

"They're running!" A Minutemen shouted.

"We won!" The crowd cheered. Preston leaned against the rubble of the old Castle walls and sighed. He frowned as he thought of the Brotherhood's tactics. _Brotherhood has air superiority and equipment._ _Why don't they use it?_

A siren rang over the cheers.

"Incoming from the south!" Piper shouted from one of the artillery cannons. Preston ran up to the second story, he saw that many Minutemen did the same. Preston's heart sank at what he saw.

A fleet of vertibirds flying straight for the Castle were the beginning of Preston's worries. The Prydwyn itself maneuvered over the Castle.

"Artillery open fire-!" Preston shouted. It was too late. The first suits began to land within the Castle's walls. One landed directly on top of a Minuteman. The man made no sound, dead on impact. The armor whirred to life and the eyeports lit up before the suit hefted a minigun up to fire. Preston quickly turned to Piper. "Where are our reinforcements?"

Katherine stood over the dead Brotherhood scribe. She fired another round from her 1911 into the man's head, ensuring he was dead. Nate stood next to her, hefting a military-standard issue assault rifle. Katherine, clad in Institute Uniform and armor, found herself to be unrecognizable. Just weeks ago she would never have considered associating herself with the Institute. But she soon learned that the Institute was family. Correction, it is family. Katherine looked up at Nate, who wore a ballistic mask that covered his entire head and only left two coverings meant to be eyeports. They lit up bright red in the dark atmosphere of the Mass Fusion building. He nodded to her indicating that all threats had been taken care of.

Katherine couldn't believe it. The Institute, long believed to be an evil underground empire of the Commonwealth, was in fact a beautiful city that could even bring the dead back to life. It brought her family back to life. And Katherine will do anything to protect her family.

"Looks like this is the way to go." Nate's voice sparked over his mask's microphone. It projected itself more like a voice on a Protectron. Shaun assured her it was render his voice to be unrecognizable when he worked out in the field. However, Katherine had her doubts. _Then why didn't Kellogg have stuff like that?_ Katherine took a long look at Nate. He stood a stark opposite to her pristine white, field operator uniform. He wore modified combat armor that was colored jet black with red highlights in a few areas. He was ever farther away, somewhere deep down, Katherine wondered if this Nate was the same man she knew, loved, and married.

Nate turned back and saw her hesitation. He stepped through the hole in the wall and offered his hand to her, which surprised Katherine.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe. I promise." Nate said soothingly. Katherine couldn't help but smile at the thought of her husband here with her and by her side. Then James popped into her mind and she frowned. Nate angled his head slightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, Katherine knew he was frowning.

"Nothing." She said. "Just go, I'll catch up." Nate nodded before moving through the building, clearing it with military precision. Katherine sighed and wondered what had become of James. It had been six months since the Battle of Quincy. She hadn't seen him once or even heard of him. It was as if he didn't exist. Like his alter ego, the Lone Wanderer. Katherine waved the thought aside and followed Nate into the Mass Fusion building. _He's probably long gone, right?_

James stepped onto the freshly laid snow. The Pride cleaved a perimeter around the train, killing off the native feral ghoul infestation.

"Area clear, sir." Kodiak's voice said.

"Affirmative." James responded. He snapped off his helmet and took a deep breath. "We're home." He said.


	53. Where to Go

Katherine stirred herself awake and sat up in the bed with a jolt. Nate flexed in his seat, quickly looked around the room before relaxing himself. Katherine stared at him. _What am I doing here?_ She wondered. Nate was cleaning her M1911. A gift from James. He frowned as he inspected it.

"Dirty. You don't clean it very often do you?" he asked coldly.

"No, I don't have much chance to fighting for my life." Katherien snapped back, flopping back onto her bed. She laid her arm over her forehead. "What are we doing here?"

"We got jumped." Nate replied.

"What?"

"You don't remember?" Shaun entered the room and limped to Katherine side. She looked over at him. Thanks to his illness, Shaun was looking older than ever, bags under his eyes and the light in his eyes gone. Shaun sat on the bed beside Katherine and took her hand.

"Mother." He whispered. "Are you okay?"

"yeah" Katherine croaked. "Or I think I'll be. I don't know." Shaun quickly looked up at Nate.

"What happened?" He snapped. Nate sighed and loaded the 1911.

"The Brotherhood got there before us. Maxson was ready for us and he ambushed us." Nate said, placing the pistol gingerly on the night table by Katherine's bed. "I got shot, Kat took a few rounds carrying me out of there." Shaun looked at Katherine with exetreme grief and worry.

"I'm fine. You should be worrying over big boy over here." Katherine waved at Nate. Shaun nodded and patted Katherine's hand.

"Okay then. As long as you'll be okay." Shaun said with a smile. He stood up and glared at Nate. "We need to talk." Nate nodded but his eyes never left Katherine's gaze. Nate stood with a grunt and the two walked outside. As soon as the door closed Katherine heard sounds of yelling and things slamming against the wall. She lifted her legs off the bed and limped over the door. She pressed her ear against it but could not hear anything. So she opened the door slightly.

"-You mean to tell me that the Brotherhood has the Beryllium Agitator?!" Shaun shouted.

"Father, please. It wasn't her fault."

"You're right!" Father shouted. "It's yours!" Shaun made a gesture and a flash of blue blew Nate's head open in front the door. Katherine repressed a gasp, though it was not difficult. This was not the first time she saw her husband murdered. Nor the first that she'd seen a laser bolt do that to a man. "I want the next clone ready within the hour. Program him with specific orders to lead her to the Prydwyn and leave her."

"What purpose would that serve Father?" Madison Li asked.

"Maxson believes he can trust her. We will use that."

"You would use your own mother as bait?!" Madison Li asked.

"Yes, for the good of the Commonwealth, I will do anything. Even kill my own father." Shaun growled before storming out. Madison Li's eyes caught Katherine's. Katherine quickly shut the door.

"I don't know the first thing about cloning." Nathan said.

"Wait, what?" James asked.

"Yeah, I thought you knew that."

"Fuck!" James shouted. The two stood over the brook at Sanctuary Hills. Streams of wounded soldiers made their way across, the first to arrive from the Battle of the Castle. James was extremely irrated to learn that he had missed that and that many of his friends were missing as a result.

"Is that why you wanted to see George?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah. But seeing as the NCR had him locked up God knows where you were my next best option. And now I learn you know nothing?!"

"Well I do know how to get that thing we brough over working."

"That's useless without an energy source." James responded. He slammed his fist against the bridge railing. "Fuck. I thought you'd be able to help us."

"With what?"

"Insitute's got cloning tech."

"So?"

"So they've got us outnumbered."

"How well trained are they?"

"…"

"Axe." Nathan began.

"Yes, sir?" Axe replied on the radio.

"Take the team out for a recon mission to known Institute insertion areas. See if you can engage these synths and maybe a team of clones. I'd like more intel."

"Roger, that sir."

"What was that?"

"Clones and numbers don't matter unless they have training that means something."

"Really?"

"And I thought you were the smart one."

"Yeah, well I haven't had the luxury of working with an active and operation military for most of my life so please forgive me if I didn't think of that."

"Well, that's why I'm here."

"You couldn't do that last time?"

"I'm expensive."

"I'm not paying you."

"I'm here on paid leave."

"How does that work?"

"I get paid to dick around out here." Nathan gestured to the Commonwealth. "I'm beginning to see why you're so attached to this place."

"I'm not attached."

"If you say so." Nathan shrugged before munching on a mutfuit. "I get paid either way."

"You're self-employed."

"So I get more money. No problem." James shook his head.

"Sir, that's the last of the survivors." Dusk said.

"Did you find Preston?"

"No, sir."

"How can one man be captured so many times?" James muttered.

"this happen before?" Nathan asked.

"Oh yeah."

"He inexperienced?"

"At our type of fighting."

"oh."

"Yeah."

The two men stood in silence as the brook bubbled beneath them.

"This place is beautiful though." Nathan said.

"Yeah." James sighed. "I think so too."

"So what's the plan?"

"We need to get back in the game."

"There was a game?" James nodded.

"The Enclave fought the Brotherhood to a standstill before Maxson pulled them out. Then while I left, I hear he made a new assault."

"Sounds like you're going to need to teach him a lesson then."

"Yeah. But I'm not sure how I'm going to do it."

"I do." A new voice came from behind the two. James turned and found Danse, standing in the middle of the bridge in a winder jacket and jeans. He held a holotape and his tags in a gloved hand.

"The intel you recovered when you captured my team…" Danse said. "Sturges told me I'm a synth. Maxson got my team out months ago, left me for dead. I need answers."

"You think he's going to give it to you?" James asked.

"No. But I know of a way I can."

"And what's that?" Nathan mumbled, his voice muffled by his chewing.

"Are either of you interested in becoming an Elder?"


	54. The Status Quo

Ash crawled out of the wreckage of the crashed vertibird. He reached forward and grabbed hold of a piece of metal that jutted out from the scaffolding. His blurred vision began to clear as the ringing in her ears faded away. He reached forward with his left arm, propelling his body slightly further out of the wreck. He groaned as he attempted to gather the strength to will himself to his feet. The ringing gradually disappeared but was quickly replaced by sirens. _What the Hell happened?_ He asked himself.

Danse rushed past him and slammed his shoulder into a Brotherhood Knight. The knight rolled over the railing and plummeted out of view. _Oh right._ Ash thought to himself as Danse caught the butt of a laser rifle and turned the weapon on its previous master. _We're on the Prydwyn_

"Maxson!" Danse's cut through the air as Brotherhood soldiers swarmed into the loading area.

"You're telling me that the Brotherhood of Steel has written a protocol doctrine for this very situation?" Nathan asked.

"Not exactly, but it will work. These men and women have been indoctrinated to believe in the system." Danse replied.

"But Lyons did away with the original foundations, what changed?" James cut in. The three men stood in James's house in Sanctuary Hills. However, since many refugees had flocked to the settlement, sleeping bags filled the floor as refugees walked in and out looking for medical aid. James offered his house to them since he was no longer using it.

"When he reintegrated the Outcasts a few years ago."

"Dammit. I assume that was a condition?"

"Affirmative." James nodded and folded his arms across his chest.

"How are we going to get this thing to work then?" James asked. Nathan smirked as he flicked the Platinum Chip into the air with his thumb. It landed on the palm of his left hand and he closed his hand around it.

"Leave that," Nathan began "to me." He finished with a smirk.

A hand wrapped over Katherine's face, but she was ready. She pressed the barrel of James's 1911 against her attacker's abdomen. The hand removed itself. A light flicked on, momentarily blinding Katherine. Katherine's vision returned, revealing Dr. Madison Li standing hunched over Katherine's bed.

"Dr. Li, what are-" Katherine stammered. Dr. Li pressed a slender finger against Katherine's lips.

"Hush." Dr. Li said calmly. "We need to go. Now." She motioned for Katherine to follow as Dr. Li strode out of her room. Katherine nodded and rushed to the drawer by the window. Outside it stood the central elevator, Katherine always enjoyed seeing it as the first part of her morning. She opened the drawer and withdrew a small box with her wedding ring and James's shotgun. Why she kept it there, she doesn't know. But it felt right.

Katherine wandered into the empty hallway. Outside stood Madison Li with Nate standing next to her. Katherine nearly did a double-take after seeing Nate still alive after what Shaun did to him.

"N-?" Katherine began.

"No time." Dr. Li insisted. "Walk, I'll explain on the way." Katherine nodded and twisted a silencer onto her pistol.

"This is TR-8R. A new synth model based off of your deceased husband." Dr. Li spoke quickly.

"TR-8R?" Katherine asked. "Like Traitor?"

"I'm glad you have a penchant for humor. He said the same thing when I woke him." Dr. Li said, nodding her head towards the synth. Katherine gave Nate the once-over looking to see if this was the same man she knew as her husband.

"But Shaun-"

"Killed him? Yes." Dr. Li interjected. "He was very thorough. Your husband's genetic material was saved in order to further our research on cloning." The trio reached the end of the hallway. A door opened as Dr. Li waved a gray plastic card in front of what appeared to be a normal bolt in the wall. "I discovered this DIA closet the day I arrived. The Lone Wanderer handed it to me shortly before he died."

"Lone Wanderer?" Katherine asked. "James died?" Dr. Li looked at Katherine puzzled.

"Of course. He died back in 2277 at Project Purity. He gave up his life to save his son, James Jr." Dr. Li stated.

"But James said"

"Oh. So you have met him. He goes by that name now?" Dr. Li asked, bemused. "I figured that was a joke of Three Dog's. I assumed it wouldn't stick, but I do suppose it is fitting."

"What are you talking about?" Katherine asked. The elevator slowed to a stop at the basement.

"How do you think a name as cool as that was created?" Dr. Li asked with one of her rare smiles. "Junior doesn't have the creativity in him to make up such a name."

"Junior?"

"No matter. We must go."

"Go where?"

"Out. We are leaving."

"We?"

"I have seen enough of this place. Gathered enough intelligence."

"What?"

"I assume that is why you have come. You are with the Brotherhood of Steel, no?"

"Uh-"

"Hmm, Interesting." Dr. Li said as she typed furiously on the terminal. "Perhaps I was wrong about you."

"You!" a voice growled from behind. Katherine twisted to face the voice and raised her weapon as she did so. Nate had beaten her to the punch. Dr. Ayo stood, weapon poised to fire in the doorway.

"Well, look what we have here." He said with a smirk. "Looks like I don't have to find some way to kill you after all." Dr. Li ignored him and continued typing. "What do you think you're doing Madison? After what Father has given you? The chance you are throwing away by doing this?!"

"Subdue this man please." Dr. Li said quickly. Katherine aimed at Dr. Ayo's leg. He aimed at Dr. Li.

"Oh no you don't" he said through gritted teeth. Nate rushed forward, Ayo fired. The blue bolt slashed through Nate's arm, but he ignored it as if he had not felt it. He tackled Ayo into the wall cracking the white surface. Nate grabbed Ayo's firing arm as twisted it, creating a sickening cracking sound. Ayo began to scream but Nate smashed the man's head through the wall.

"That will leave a mark." Dr. Li commented. "I do suppose that does give the Gen 2s something to do now."

"Target neutralized." Nate said like a robot. He returned to a defensive pose and began to scan the room. The equipment, behavior, and mannerisms were the same but Katherine finally accepted that this thing standing in front of her was not her husband. Nate is dead. She finally accepted that single fact.

"It's done. The teleporter is active now." Dr. Li said. "We need to leave. Come." She affirmed. Katherine followed as Nate brought up the rear. Katherine followed Dr. Li into the blue column of energy and felt herself disintegrate. _It looks like I do get to see you after all. James._

Ash smashed the bumper blade on the forehead of one of the armor-clad Brotherhood Knights. The helmet collapsed inward with a deafening thud before the man collapsed to his knees and stopped moving.

"This is Ash. South side terminals are secure."

"Good work, Ash." James responded. "Alpha, check in."

"Dusk, perimeter looks secure. Our assault on the Airstrip is about to commence."

"Colvin, in position. Looks like one of the Paladins are not having a good time down here on the field. I think he's sniffed out we're here."

"Understood. Hold position for Nathan's arrival." James replied.

"Wilco." Colvin replied.

"Glade, bridge is secure. No resistance." Ash perked up. _The Bridge? No resistance? Why's that?_

"Tristan here. Mess hall is cleared. Minimal resistance. Looks like our targets have bugged out."

"Any idea why?" Glade asked.

"Danse? Anything?"

"No response. I can loop back around. Check on his position?" Dusk said. Pause. Ash cleaned off the Blade of the East as he stared up into the full moon of the night. He sighed and realized that he was thinking of Yuri.

"No. We proceed as planned. Radio silence from here. You know what to do." James said as the radio cut off.

"Roger roger." Ash grunted as he slanted the blade against his back. He picked up his rifle and began to make his way to the airstrip. He saw the airstrip in the distance, its roof glinting off in the distance. Ash threw down his rifle and set up his spotting position. He dropped into a prone position and adjusted the sight. The gauss rifle whirred to life as Ash watched the Knights and Paladins patrolling in the distance. Overhead, the Prydwyn loomed ever the omnipresent sentinel. Ash sighed. They were going to bring it down. An explosion from the courtyard rocked the fround beneath Ash. The water shook and rippled as a blue field emerged from the airstrip.

"What the hell was that?!" Colvin asked.

"Shit, I think our cover's blown." Kodiak chipped in. Ash waved his rifle around, searching for a target. A huge metal hand shot out of the blue field as blue lightning erupted from the field.

"I have a visual on the target." Ash said. The shape materialized as it passed through the fog and energy field. "It looks like-"

"Liberty Prime." James suddenly interjected. "It's Liberty Prime."

"Liberty Prime Online." A voice boomed. Even across the bay, Ash heard the thunderous voice. "All systems nominal. Weapons hot. Mission: the destruction of any and all Chinese communists." A red ball glowed from the skull as Ash focused on the robot's head.

"Guys," he asked. "What's the plan?"


	55. Plans

The field dissolved and Katherine felt her insides heave as she landed. Despite working extensively with the teleporters, she had never gotten used to it. She waved her discomfort aside as she cleared the room with her pistol. Nate did the same as she checked corners and the small group's back. Dr. Li stood tall with her back poised, seemingly unafraid of the danger that the Commonwealth holds.

"Come," she snapped. "We need to move quickly."

"Where are we?" Katherine asked. Dr. Li quickly glanced up at the roof and the sides of the room. She remained silent and Katherine accepted that for once in the time that she knew Madison, Dr. Li did not have an answer.

"You there!" A voice shouted from afar. "Stop!" Nate looked down at Madison.

"Ma'am?" he asked in his strange, monotone voice.

"Eliminate him." Dr. Li nodded before continuing down the walkway. Nate raised his rifle and fired twice, the bolts cleaved the man's head off his body before the man could do any more.

"Target eliminated." Nate said once more before moving to shadow Dr. Li once more. Katherine looked at the body and back at Nate before continuing down the walkway with them. Katherine looked right and found a strange symbol incorporating cogs and gears inside a round circle. She found the symbol to be familiar but made no note of it as she carried on with the rest of her group.

"What is the status on the ground?" a voice said from above. Katherine stopped walking and began to aim her pistol. Nate had done the same while holding an arm out to block Dr. Li from proceeding any further.

"Currently, Prime has halted the Enclave advance. We appear to have lost all but the Heliport down on the Airport, Elder." Another responded.

"Call in reinforcements from the Ft. Strong site." The Elder, who Katherine assumed to be Maxson, said.

"We recently lost contact with the outpost, Elder. We are working on re-establishing a link." The other voice responded.

"Don't bother." Maxson insisted. "If it's the Enclave here at our doorstep, then w assume that the Strong site is lost."

"Yes, Elder."

"Prime has the battle contained to the airport?"

"Yes, Elder."

"Then we need to provide him some support. Call in the auxillary units."

"They are not ready."

"We don't have a choice!" Maxson growled.

"Understood, sir." The other voice responded. Katherine looked back at Nate and realized he had continued down the walkway with Dr. Li close behind. Katherine strode to catch up. Nate nodded as Katherine slowed before slowly opening the door. He must have scene something because she shoved the door open and rushed an unseen attacked. Katherine maneuvered herself in front of Dr. Li and aimed down the walkway. Nate slammed a man's head into the railing before turning to face a metal fist. Nate buckled from the blow but still managed to wrest his arms around the man's neck and kneed him hard. The man grunted as Nate headbutted him before subsequently pushing him over the side. Nate wiped his lip with his sleeve, his ballistic mask cracked and on the floor. Katherine stared into those cold gray eyes, that did not belong to the man she once knew as husband.

"Area clear." He murmured as he reached for the mask. Katherine reached it first and shoved the pieces at him. Nate was taken aback, he slowly nodded and donned the half-broken mask. Katherine looked down as a huge behemoth of metal smashed a vertibird out of the air before decimating a floor of an adjacent building with blue laser fire.

"So this is it." Katherine murmured. "The final battle."

"They seem to be struggling." Nate observed.

"That's just what he will want Maxson to think." Katherine interjected.

"He?" Dr. Li asked.

"Is the damn thing charged?!" James asked as he ducked under blue laser fire. He ran out into the street and launched a mini-nuke from his shoulder. The nuke made a plunk sound as it rocketed into the air and into a small arc before landing on Prime's shoulder. He slowly turned as James tossed aside the Fat Man and drew his plasma rifle. He fired a few bursts as Enclave Troopers rushed to assist him.

"Yeah, just about." Nathan responded casually. James jumped over a small concrete wall as he ducked past debris and laser fire. He slid behind a sandbag fighting position just by the entrance to the heliport.

"You're going to have to do better than just about!" James shouted. James looked up and saw Nathan standing over him with the desired weapon. A Target Acquisitioner.

"You don't need to shout. I'm right next to you." Nathan said as he stepped out of the cover. He aimed the small toy-looking device. "You know I can only use this once a day, right?"

"Really? Now you—" A red laser plummeted to the ground leveling half a block and a good portion of the airport terminal. James slowly stood from his cover as the beam shot down for a full 15 seconds before ceasing and leaving behind a crater.

"Yeah, figured that'd be a good time to bring it up." Nathan said as he flipped the machine back into his holster as a gunslinger would his revolver. James looked up at the Prydwyn, looming above him.

"Danse." James began. "It's time to bring in the full force."


	56. The Terminal

Ash ducked under a power armored punch from one of the Brotherhood remnants. Firing his pistol in hand, Ash leapt into the air slashing at the brotherhood soldier with Lanius's sword. The sword cleaved into the man's neck as Ash shot out an eyeport of another soldier. The man roared and tackled Ash through the brick wall of an adjacent building. Ash emptied the magazine into the man's broken eyeport. He felt himself slow as the man lost momentum, Ash grinned inside his helmet and locked his feet into the ground. The porcelain tiles of the ground cracked and groaned as the two armored men clashed through the house. Ash began to push back, causing the Brotherhood soldier to panic. The man maneuvered himself to break past Ash's hold, but Ash headbutted the man before throwing him to the ground. Once more, feeling the hilt of the Blade of the East in his palm. Ash lifted the blade high above his head and slammed its tip through the man's helmet.

"Where are they coming from?!" an Envlave trooped shouted from the distance.

"Hold the line!" Dusk shouted, somehow on the ground and no longer in a vertibird circling above the battlefield. Ash panted and threw off his helmet. The yellow eyes lit the dark rooms, slightly illuminating the blue-tiled floor of an old factory department store.

"They're coming out of the woodwork!" Dusk's voice once more echoed from Ash's helmet. He wiped the sweat from his brow and attempted to catch his breath. He pulled his canteen from his bandolier and emptied it over his head. He gasped for breath as his lungs burned for air though they had no reason to.

"We need reinforcements!" Dusk's voice wailed from the radio. Ash grabbed the helmet and looked into the glaring, yellow eyes. The legacy that would be left by James's predecessors. The fear that the design inspired. The fear they would inspire. Ash exited the factory store and found two Enclave scouts wandering the battlefield, clearly fresh recruits and inexperienced rookies. Ash pointed at the two and gestured them over.

"You two, on me." He growled. Ash and the hastly formed fireteam began to makes its way from the outskirts of the battered airfield to the remains of the airport terminal. The battle with Liberty Prime severely crippled the present Enclave air power. Now the Brotherhood held air superiority. Minigun fire thundered overhead as a vertibird made a pass over the terminal.

"Incoming!" A red light lit the night sky momentarily. Prime is up again. Ash quickly deduced. He marked two locations that he wanted the scouts to take and secure. The scouts nodded and wordlessly left Ash's presence. Though green, they were still trained by Brandis, they would know what was expected of them.

"Does anyone have eyes on the General?!" Kodiak's voice peppered over the hissing comms.

A thundering booming sound and a crash shortly followed Kodiak's broadcast.

"Dammit! We're hit. Everybody brace!" Kodiak's shouted once more. A nearby building collapsed onto its side, throwing rubble over a downed airplane.

"Where is it?!" an Enclave trooper shouted over the radio. A Brotherhood patrol passed a plane, right into Ash's line of fire. Ash pulled the hammer on his Gauss Rifle back and unleashed a fully charged 2mm round. The rounded zipped through the air before cleaving off a Paladin's arm. The patrol's members began to raise their own weapons. Two quick bursts of plasma fire, downed the unarmored men as Ash primed a pulse grenade and lobbed it into the air. Slinging the guass rifle, Ash drew his sidearm and fired twice. The first round made its target, the second was instinctive. The grenade detonated and fried the two stading Brotherhood soldiers. Their screams signified that despite almost twenty feet of separation from the explosive itself was more than enough to incapacitate the men. Ash looked up and lit his right arm with a sickly green. The armor reflected the light and two green lights from two separate locations made themselves known to the night. They were quickly followed with a yellow one, indicating that they would be displacing. Ash quickly moved past the Brotherhood patrol and found the remains of Bravo Squad. The six man team had been massacred. Likely by Liberty Prime himself, if the burn marks and melted armor were to show. A fat man with its mini-nuke already loaded leaned against an old Corvega. Ash grabbed it and hefted it over his shoulder.

"I have eyes-on Liberty Prime, he's at the control tower!"

"Everybody hit the deck!" Glade shouted. Another red beam smashed into the night sky. The feed went dead.

"Glade!" Dusk shouted. Ash hoped for a response as he jogged to rejoin the rest of his team. "Glade!" Dusk shouted once more, less spirited. Ash sighed before rushing out into the street, fat man lifted on his right shoulder and pistol in his left.

Despite the clear skies and seemingly clear condition of the airport. Nothing was clear. The wreckage of both Brotherhood aircraft and the resulting geographical changes made by the orbital strikes made it difficult to navigate the once-level ground of the Boston airport. The strike made by Nathan's weapons earlier reformed the landscape and left dunes of dirt as high as fifteen feet. Ash noted that it may be possible that some Enclave personnel could have been buried alive by the ungodly sum of earth.

"Soldiers of the Enclave remnant!" Maxson's voice boomed from the Prydwyn overhead. "I know you think you are in the right."

Ash jogged up one of the dunes, hoping for a good vantage point to see the terminal.

"You're not." Maxson said.

"Didn't see that coming." Dusk said.

"The Brotherhood wishes to save the Commonwealth. So does the Enclave. Why the endless fighting?"

Ash climbed the dune and found the terminal under siege. Though once a Brotherhood stronghold, now the Enclave have taken residence. With glimmering hordes of Brotherhood troops slowly advancing on the terminal position. Liberty Prime smashing at the last of the handful of Enclave vertibirds in the immediate area. Ash loaded his Fat Man and began sprinting down the sand dune to assist.

Ash ducked under a broken steel wing of an old military plane and stopped shortly behind airplane seat. Three Enclave troopers rushed forward in an attempt to halt the Brotherhood advance. It was clear that the Enclave assault force was low in numbers, they would need support and soon. Ash lifted the Fat Man above his head and took aim. A silver vertibird rushed forward with a squad of power armored soldiers leaping from the cargo plane. Ash fired and watched the nuke rocket through the air and smash into the cockpit. The vehicle swirled in a 360 degree spin and smashed through the main door of the terminal. Ash dumped the Fat Man, having exhausted his only mini nuke. He drew his Gauss Rifle and pulled the hammer back, ready to fire.

Katherine felt the vertibird float in the air before unhitching itself from the Prydwyn.

"Don't let that veritibird take off!" Kells shouted. Nate fired at an unknown enemy as the vertibird shot through the air and descended down under the Prydwyn. Katherine weaved and bobbed the vertibird past the fiery rockets that the Prydwyn rained down onto the airport terminal.

"This was his plan the whole time!" Li shouted as Katherine maneuvered the vertibird past the Prydwyn's anti-air ordinances. "He wanted to lure the Enclave here where the Prydwyn had the largest concentration of firepower. He wanted this from the beginning."

"What purpose would that serve? Luring James to him?" Katherine asked aloud as she outmaneuvered the last missile and began to stabilize the vertibird.

"To solidify his standing as the Chapter's Elder." Nate interjected.

"Wait what?" Katherine asked.

"Maxson was leader, no question. But too many people respected James, the Lone Wanderer and savior of the Capital Wasteland in order to truly feel absolute loyalty to Maxson." Nate suggested.

"Correct. Maxson wants explicit and absolute control over the Brotherhood, but James has led the group to success far longer than Maxson has." Li corroborated.

"I don't understand. Why come all this way?"

"To recreate the Brotherhood from the bottom up. Maxson needs to get absolute power, then he needs to ensure that his new military structure will actually be effective and efficient."

"So then the Commonwealth…"

"-is just the beginning." Li agreed. "Maxson is planning on creating a military-industrial complex to rival that of the Enclave prior to its destruction."

"But why would he do that?" Katherine asked.

"I am not sure, but based on a few dossiers that I nabbed from Rothchild before I left the Capital Wasteland seem to suggest that-"

"Disclosing that information would be quite unwise, Dr. Li." Maxson's voice sparked from the radio.

"Impossible." Li muttered.

"Yet, here I am." Katherine tried to move the vertibird, but the controls were locked up.

"We're stuck, he's got us."

"You didn't think I'd plan for someone to hijack one of my vertibirds?" Maxson asked incredulously. "How stupid could you think I am?"

"Based on your judgements of people and the wasteland, I'd say the evidence speaks for itself."

"I suppose you're not wrong. Don't disclose the information within those dossiers, Doctor."

"And why wouldn't I do that?"

"Let me explain myself."


	57. Maxson

James smashed through the last bulkhead of the Prydwyn Command Center.

"Maxson!" James shouted. A fire had started during the ground battle, which still raged on below with Liberty Prime spearheading the Brotherhood defense while Enclave squadrons of P-80 fighter jets keep the machine at bay. "Where is she?!"

"James!" Katherine's voice calls from the shadows. James quickly turns only to be greeted by laser fire. James twists his body and quickly drops to the floor. Pistol already poised to fire, James squeezed off a flurry of rounds and is left with utter silence. The sound of a flop caused James to rise to one knee. He takes the time to reach for a another magazine when he hears the clink of metal holotags. James rolls forward as Maxson attacks. James rolls to his feet, pistol reloaded and poised to fire.

Maxson stands wielding a shishkebab, already flaming. Maxson seems to have been injured in a previous battle as his bomber jacket is torn in various places and a large gash has reopened his old scar.

"You wanted this. Here I am." Maxson panted. Maxson is tired, drained. This won't be a fair fight. For him.

"This has been a long time coming." James says standing from his crouched position. James aims the pistol straight at Maxsons head. Maxson shows no sign of yielding, even standing straighter to grant an easier target.

"It would be so easy wouldn't it? End all of the fighting with one bullet right?" Maxson pants. "End all of the suffering."

"Why?" James began. He lowered the pistol. "Why go this far?"

"You were my greatest teacher, James." Maxson sighs, lowering his own guard. "I thought you of all people would have understood."

"Understand what?" James asked, not expecting this.

"That humanity cannot be trusted with handling technology. Nothing as great a scale as that which the Institute holds." Maxson replies matter-of-factly. "It is the objective of the Brotherhood of Steel as mandated by our founder."

"But at what cost, Arthur?" James refuted. "At what point did I ever teach you to commit genocide? What could have possessed you to destroy the Pitt?"

"The Pitt was a raider stronghold that was developing an army to claim large amounts of territory. They were planning for a war."

"No they weren't. I was there. They'd changed, damn you. They were innocent."

"No one is truly innocent, mentor. You taught me that. You chose to side with the raiders. I never could have predicted you'd be such a disappointment. You are no longer ever to be considered a member of the Brotherhood."

"That doesnt matter to me Arthur. Never has. It has always been about doing the right thing."

"Says the man who helped create a nation of raiders. Enough talk, Wanderer. Time to die!"

Maxson charged while James emptied his clip at Maxson. The bullets seemed to glean off him, no doubt some sort of trophy system tech confiscated from one of the technological installations in the Boston area.

Maxson swiped down with the flaming sword hoping to wound James. James sidestepped the the right and smashed the butt of his pistol into Maxson's neck. James then quickly followed up with two quick punches into Maxson's side and then kicked him to create some space. However, Maxson twisted his body causing the kick to glance off its target as Maxson thrust the sword forward at James's neck. James blocked the blow with his gloved arm and headbutted Maxson.

Maxson fell to the ground and crawled back away from James, panting. James reloaded his pistol and slowly walked towards Maxson.

"You could never hope to beat me in unarmed combat, Arthur." James stated matter-of-factly. He kneeled by Maxson's broken form. "I taught you everything you know."

"Not this." Maxson grunted thrusting the sword at james's chest as it flamed through the air. James twisted himself to avoid the brunt of the blow and fired off a few rounds. A round caught Maxson in the shoulder as he ran from James and straight at the hole in the Prydwyn cockpit.

"You built this war machine James. It's yours once more. The Brotherhood of Steel cuts its ties with you." Maxson said before leaping into the hole. "Initiate Protocol Icarus!"

James heard Maxson utter the unspeakable just as he neared the hole. "Dammit!" James muttered under her breath. "All Enclave personnel evacuate the immediate area, the Prydwyn's coming down


	58. The Institute

Ash watched in helpless horror as the Prydwyn came crashing down from the air.

"Does anybody have eyes on the Commander?" Dusk's voice asked as her vertibird hovered above.

"That's a negative." A new voice announced in the radio.

"Who is this?!" Dusk asked. Ash turned and faced an army of synths. "How did you patch into this frequency?"

Ash raised his rifle as the synths silently began to surround him and four other Enclave troopers. All had their weapons raised.

"I am Father. I am here to save you." The voice spoke once more as the synths fired in unison.

James groaned as he attempted to pull himself free from the fallen girder. The Prydwyn had smashed into the border of the Boston Airport leaving the majority on land while the rest half rested in water. The water slowly began filling the Command Center.

"I do hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it would seem your armor has been breached." Eden's voice filled James's head.

"That's just great." James grunted as he inched the girder off his body.

"Uncle James!" The voice of a little girl echoed off the walls. James paused to listen, no longer caring about his imminent demise.

"Marie?" He whispered.

"Uncle James we're here to help!" Marie's voice once again echoed against the metal halls.

"No, it can't be." James muttered pushing off the girder as the experimental suit of power armor creaked and groaned from the immense weight of the girder. James stumbled to his feet and reached for his pistol, which he discovered was missing. He unsheathed his knife and twisted it in his hand for the blade to face downward. "Marie! Where are you?" James called out.

"Come to me, Uncle James! We're here to help!"

"Who's we?" James asked as he stumbled forward. Suddenly a body slammed into him. James fell to the ground, dropping his knife. His attacker was dressed in black and wore a red ballistic mask. The attacker slammed his fist down, James moved his head, the intended blow smashed into the ground and dented the steel beneath him. James twisted his legs up against his attacker's chest and kicked out as hard as possible. His attacker flew back and slammed against the ceiling of the corridor, denying it as well. The attacked grabbed onto a pipe on the ceiling and reached into one of his pockets. James reached for his knife before a grenade fell in front of him. James stated st the grenade noting that it did not look like a normal grenade.

Light. Then darkness. Then light again.

James woke kneeling on a blue floor with a gun pressed to his head. His power armor gone, his old trusty Vault 101 suit the only article of clothing he was left with.

"Target acquired." The courser said. James reasoned that he was now in the Institute itself. He looked up into the face of an old man.

"Yes, excellent work TR-8R. That will be all." The man spoke.

"Affirmative" the courser spoke again.

James eyed the room, it was clean, sterile. Befitting a scientific research installation.

"Do you know why I have brought you here?" The man asked.

"Where's Marie?" James growled. The gun pressed harder against his temple.

"You're persistent. You will do." A shock tan through James body before he collapsed. The room began to fade as he lapsed into being unconscious. Little girl ran towards him, fighting off her courser guards. She knelt beside him shaking him surely with all the strength she could muster. James felt none of it.

"Marie…" he tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. "You're okay." His vision blurred to darkness. And the darkness remained.

-Katherine-

"Where am I?" Katherine shouted. She had been trying for what seemed like hours. Her hands were bonded behind her back and the room was kept pitch dark. Katherine writhed her wrists against her restraints, hoping to find a way to escape. She thought back to James, Nate, all those who had been lost to get her here.

"It won't be for nothing, James. I promise you." Katherine gritted her teeth and prepared herself mentally for the pain that would come from escaping her handcuffs.

But it would seem fate had something else in mind for her.

The lights flashed on, momentarily blinding Katherine.

"Agh!" Katherine grunted as her eyes struggled to adjust to the new light.

A man stood in front of her. Shaun. Katherine rose to her feet, ignoring the pain and the screams of pain that resonates throughout her body. All signs of the fatigue and her injuries from the previous battle.

"Director…" Katherine spat, mustering up as much strength as she could manage. Shaun looked visibly upset, he placed his hand on an unseen glass that separated the two.

"Mother…" Shaun grunted. It seemed he was affected more than his pride would allow him. "You chose to forego your family for these… savages. Your own son…"

"You're not my son." Katherine hissed. "My son was stolen from me years ago."

"I'm right here, Mother." Shaun moaned, clearly upset. The room shook and dust fell from the ceiling. Katherine looked up while Shaun kept his eyes glued to his mother's face.

"What did you do with my friends?" Katherine asked, less aggressively in an attempt to lure Shaun out of his normal arrogant and protected self.

"As if that mattered how. They're coming for me. Humanity's last best hope now will soon be gone." Shaun sighed. He coughed into his hand violently before grabbing a handkerchief from an unseen pocket. He quickly hid it away but Katherine managed to spot a few red spots on the once white cloth. "I hope you're proud of yourself." Shaun grunted inbetween coughs.

"Shaun… that blood." Katherine whispered. "Are you sick?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. I have no reason to live anyways." Shaun sighed, he suddenly began to stumble as if he struggled to even stand.

"Shaun!" Katherine shouted slamming both hands against the glass. "Help! Somebody help!"

"Stop." Shaun gasped. "It's too late for me now. But it's not too late for you."

"Shaun what are you talking about? It's never too late, just let me out. James is a doctor he can-"

"No!" Shaun roared. "I will never let his kind touch me."

"His kind? Shaun?"

"It's not worth the time nor the effort." Shaun slammed a button on the table he leaned on and a small helmet shot down from the ceiling while a seat materialized from the floor.

"What are you-"

"No time." Shaun wheezed before hacking and coughing once more. "Get in. Now."

"Shaun…"

"Now…" Shaun's voice was barely audible. Katherine nodded and leapt into the machine a small laser cut the bonds off her wrists so she could rest her wrists on the seat.

"What now?" Katherine asked. Shaun looked deeply into her eyes.

"You survive." Shaun slammed his hand into the table once more. Suddenly the helmet smashed onto Katherine's head as an electric shock rippled throughout her body. The pain was unbearable as it traveled from her head to her feet. Katherine felt like she was about to die. Then darkness.

Authors note:

I have included the first chapter of the sequel story Crimson Dragon for sake of flow regarding the timing of the two stories. There will be an epilogue chapter that will be released soon but please check out Crimson Dragon to learn more about what the Institute has planned for our Lone Wanderer and Sole Survivor.


	59. Epilogue

Maxson hiked up the hill, hands behind his back. A Protectron head rolled down the ground as the battle commenced. He stopped to pick up a scrap of Eyebot and stared into it.

"Sir the Rust Devils have been pacified on the exterior. Shall we commence the pacification of the interior." A Knight asked.

"Proceed." Maxson stated curtly. He turned on his hill and stared out at the horizon. "We have endured time and time again adversity and difficulty. But we will be strong. We will endure. And when we regain our strength, the Outcasts will retake the Commonwealth."

-Preston-

"So no one's seen or heard them in weeks?" Piper asked. Preston paused working the rubble at the Castle. The Minutemen worked hard to rebuild the wall of the 600 year old fort. Never again will they be caught surprised. Preston sighed as he collected his thoughts.

"No." Preston sighed. Deacon materialized from the background. "You have to stop doing that."

"Good to see you too Preston." Deacon chirped. "But listen, Railroad's done some digging around like you asked. It's almost like the entire Enclave's up and disappeared. The Mobile Crawler's still undergoing repairs and they have a strong presence at Sanctuary but-"

"The safe houses have all been cleared out. Nothing's left." Nick Valentine said out of the blue.

"Is everyone meeting here?" Preston asked.

"Nick!" Piper exclaimed. "You mean to tell me you've been investigating this case too?"

"Yup." Nick replied as he fumbled in his pockets for a lighter. "Nothing around no more patrols, vehicles, nothing. At least no one from before. New guys are good, but you can tell they're green."

"Arcade must've been desperate if he felt he had to send them in." Preston reasoned. "Any word about the Courier?"

"Who?" Nick puffed with his not lit cigarette.

"Nothing. Seems like anybody in the vicinity of the Boston Airport suddenly disappeared." Deacon replied.

"So if they're all gone," Piper began.

"Where did they go?" Nick finished.

-Ash-

Ash woke startled from extreme shaking.

"Everybody up!" The CO shouted. Ash shit awake, banging his head on the top bunk.

"Ow!" Ash grumbled. A head stuck ducked down to Ash's bunk.

"You alright there, boot?" A voice asked. Ash rubbed his eyes and realized that the voice belonged to Yuri.

"Yuri?" He asked. Yuri jumped down from her bunk to the floor.

"Glad to hear you remember me, rook but you better get your gear on, by the looks of things, this ain't a drill." Yuri smiled before moving to strap on her combat armor.

"What the Hell is going on?" Ash asked.

"Get your gear on!" Another voice growled at him. Ash looked up into the face of his CO. James Hwang. The Lone Wanderer. "They're here."

"Who?" Ash asked. James looked back before opening the bulkhead door of the barracks.

"The Reds." James almost growled. "The Chinese, they've come to take Anchorage."

To be continued in Crimson Dragon


	60. The Great Awakening

The lights flashed on as a hissing sound whirred through James's ears. The door in front flew open as if begging to be released causing a sudden wave of decompression of the room he was in. James look around, scratch that, he was in a tube of some kind. James willed a hand to move, but found that it didn't move the way he wanted to. Taking a step forward, James could only lean and then found that he could not control the lean and then promptly fell on his face.

"Ow." He moaned as he balled his fists and placed his knuckles against the cold, tile floor. He pushed himself up and threw an arm against the side of the tube, reaching for a handle. A gloved hand forced its way through the haziness and the fog and into James's face. He looked at it for a long, hard moment and took it.

Whoever the hand belonged to clearly belonged to a friend as it pulled James to his feet and helped him stand.

"You're James?" the man asked, at least the voice belonged to a man. James knew that much. The man wore a sophisticated gas mask, types that you only see Out West. Really far west. James nodded haphazardly, in the distance lights flashed and searched rooms and corners. Voices called out to one another and shouted. "Come on, we're getting you out of here." The man threw James's left arm over his shoulders and helped James limp away from the tube.

"Who are you?" James mumbled. The man clearly didn't understand him, as the man looked at James for a few seconds before looking forward and continued helping James out of the long dark hallway. After what seemed like hours, the man led James out of the long hallway and into the open night. A chopping noise infected the night and a harsh wind cut through James's hazy world.

"Sorry it had to be this way!" The man shouted through the chopping wind as James attempted to squint through his blurry vision for a sense of clarity. "It just took so long to find you!" The man then lifted James into some kind of vehicle where another person dressed similarly lifted him into the seat.

"Is that everybody?" A voice from inside the vehicle shouted. James turned to the man standing outside. He waved his arms at someone James couldn't see.

"No! Albert's still in there!" the man shouted. Suddenly, blue rays of light flashed and blasted its way into the night air. The man ducked before returning fire with his own set of neon green lights. James instinctively reached for his sidearm only to discover that it was nowhere to be found. He looked up at the source of the voice on his right.

"We need to get out of here! I'm taking too much damage!" the voice shouted.

"Dammit!" The voice on the ground said. He jumped into the vehicle and James reached to help him. "Go, now! Go, go, go!" he shouted as if the more gos he said, the faster the vehicle would move. James felt the vehicle move as he looked out of the bay door. The vehicle had flown a good thirty seconds when suddenly a brilliant blue explosion lit the night and made it seem as though day had arrived before suddenly shifting back to darkness again.

"Shit! We're too close." The voice on the right shouted. "We're going down!"

The chopping noise that once graced the silent night sky, suddenly shifted to a whirring screech as James's stomach lurched. They were feeling, he soon realized. The bay door flew open and the man who guided James to safety flew out of it. James threw his arm out of the door and felt the tips of fingers only miss the man as he fell to his doom. As the vehicle fell and spun to the ground. James quickly got a glimpse of the night sky. Time seemed to freeze as the stars shone brightly above. Then he crashed.

James opened his eyes to hanging upside down within the dead vehicle. A fire was lit not too far from his face. Sparks shot up into the air from shattered circuit boards. The sun was rising. James could tell as the black night shifted into orange-pink day. James looked up and found his legs were trapped by the minigun. He shifted his hands and tried to pry it off his legs.

"Well look what we got here." A voice said gruffly and whistled from outside. James looked up and found a large group of raiders approaching the vertibird. James looked around for a weapon but could only find a pistol. He reached for it but it was on the floor.

"Must've come from the Institute." Another voice said. "So much for the boogeyman of the Commonwealth. Huh?"

James reached further, his arm straining. His fingertips just touched the handle of the gun.

"Hey, man, you been living under a rock or something? Don't you know that the Brotherhood took control o' the Institute a while back?"

"What? When'd that happen?"

"Like two years ago?"

"No it's been longer… I think?"

"Whatever, let's loot the bird and get out of here." James looked at the raiders. His fingers wrapped around the gun. James lifted it when a rain of plasma fire destroyed the bridge. James sighed and let his gun arm relax. Another light shone into the vehicle bay. A familiar voice called out to James.

"Hey there, boss." The voice said. James squinted in the light as he raised his arm to try to block the unwavering light. "Guess you got yourself in quite a jam huh? Let's get you out of there. You've been sleeping long enough anyways." The man turned off the light and waved someone over before helping James out of the vertibird.

"How long have I been out?" James grumbled as he stepped into the light and out of the vertibird. As he stepped out the sun rose over the horizon. James watched as the bright sun slowly hovered over the Commonwealth, revealing the sights and landscape as far as the eye can see. James almost let himself smile as he enjoyed the sights of the Commonwealth. He looked back at the man next to him. "How long?"

The man sighed and shifted in place before taking off his mask. "Three years." Nate said sternly.


	61. The Hero Returns

James stared at the man manning the minigun. The man pointed at something James couldn't quite see to direct the aim of another soldier in the vertibird. James eyed them carefully and looked back down at the pistol in his hands. He chambered a round and looked back up.

"Relax James, we're just headed home." Nate said calmly. As if that would explain every question popping into James's mind ever since he was picked up.

"How did you find me?" James asked. He looked out to find that the vertibird had just passed the Concord Museum of Freedom. "And where are we going?" Nate looked at James as he fiddled with a lighter before quickly lighting a cigarette in his mouth.

"home." He said and then grinned as the vertibird landed. The rotors had barely begun to slow as Nate threw the doors open and waved James out. He turned an offered a hand but James waved Nate aside and limped out on his own. James looked out and found and a busy Concord. People walked left and right. Kids ran through the streets while street vendors waved customers into their stores.

"You've done a few things with the place." James said, finding himself grinning alongside Nate as a passerby saw James and waved. James waved back. "What did you do?" Nate crossed his arms and leaned over a wooden railing on the heliport built overlooking Concord. Red Rocket say in the distance to the right while Main Street drove diagonally away from the helipad with the Museum at the left of where James stood.

"The thing is," Nate began. "Absolutely nothing. This, happened because of what you and my wife built." Nate looked out happily over the town. "After the bombs fell, I never thought this could happen, but now, seeing this!" he waved both hands over the thriving community before looking at James with lit eyes. "It brings me hope." James chuckled and took a step forward. The day was in full bloom as people began to stock their shelves for the day. Caravans and traders lined up just for a chance to hit Concord's newly repaired Main Street.

"Guess it goes to show what three years can do to a place." James said.

"Oh yeah, and wait till you see Sanctuary. It's become the neighborhood that I knew and loved back before the bombs fell." Nate said, speaking faster with each word. James gave him a look where he rolled his eyes apologetically.

"Look, we're rebuilding. That's all I need to have my home back." He said.

"So how's Kat?" James asked. Nate's eyes grew dark again and he looked down. "What, what's wrong?"

"We don't know where she is." Nate said quietly. James was speechless. Every thought possible ran through his head as he recalled events leading up to his capture and separation from Katherine.

"What about the rest of my team?" James asked. Nate looked at James and sighed.

"We're right here, boss." a microphoned voice said behind him. James looked past James and found Ash walking forward with the other members of Lyons Pride not far behind him. James ran to Ash and hugged him.

"Ash!" James yelled. "Guys!"

"Sorry it took so long, Father really made sure to hide you well." Dusk said. James looked around and found everyone alive and healthy. James counted three times just to make sure before sighing relief at the survival of his team.

"How have things been here?" James asked.

"Well, it's been rough but, we managed." Kodiak said.

"Managed it quite a term." A voice said from behind James. James turned to find Arcade in his stark white lab coat and glistening black aviator sunglasses.

"Arcade?" James asked as he walked towards his old friend. "What's with the shades?"

"I, uh, don't get out much." He grunted as he fixed his glasses.

"uh-huh." James nodded "Good, I want a report on everything that's happened since the Battle at the Airport. I want situational reports. All current field intelligence," Nate stepped in between James and Arcade.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, there pal. Easy." He said waving his hands downwards as if calming an excited dog. James raised an eyebrow at the man. "You just got back." He said calmly. "Take some time to rest. Take a walk. I'll take care of the details and meet with you at your house to talk about things, ok?" James stared at the concrete below him and thought for a few seconds. He looked at his friends, Concord and then the houses of Santuary Hills in the distance.

"ok." He said. Nate smiled and patted James on the shoulder.

"Don't you worry about a thing. Just take a break, hell, take a shower! God knows you need one." Nate said nudging James towards Red Rocket.

"Yeah, boss. Sorry to say, but you really do stink." Dusk agreed.

"Har har." James laughed sarcastically before waving Nate and the Pride away. He took two steps towards Sanctuary before stopping and turning back towards his friends. "Hey, Nate!" he called. Nate looked up from a clipboard that Arcade had handed to him.

"Yeah, what's up buddy?" He asked.

"Thanks." James said before shoving his hands into his fatigues pockets and walking up the road to home.


	62. An Unexpected Reunion

"What is this?" James asked as he walked. James walked over past the couch in his living room. Seated on it was Preston Garvey himself.

"It's a list of contracts that the Minutemen has completed over the years, General." Preston said softly. James dried his hair with a towel as he collapsed onto a sitting chair besides Preston. He quickly tossed the towel aside and began to flip through a few manila folders.

"Lot's changed in the Commonwealth since the Institute." Preston began. "Doubt you'd recognize half of it."

"Well, if it's anything like what I saw in Concord." James said as he flopped down a folder and looked up. "I guess there's still much to learn from this wasteland after all." He smiled and grabbed another folder. "So you going to tell me what these folders are all about? All seems random to me."

"Yeah, well, I figure that's because they are." Preston said happily. "Lot of raider gangs have gone underground or just moved out of the Commonwealth. Crime's down by a lot and hell people are starting to move around again."

"You're kidding." James said as he closed what seemed to be the 30th folder before giving up entirely.

"Not at all. Minutemen presence alone has most gangs running scared." Preston grinned as he looked at the blue flag on the wall in the distance. "But a whole army of Power Armor clad one call away? Now that's deterrence." James nodded slowly before looking at the coffee table before him.

"So if the Commonwealth is starting to become a much safer place" James said softly before nodding decisively. "It's quite a lot to take in." Preston nodded and stood. James joined him.

"Well, it was an ambitious goal before." Preston said shifting his weight on both of his feet. "Too ambitious for lesser men." James waved the statement aside.

"Don't, it wasn't my goal." James said. "It was Kat's. She wanted this more than anybody."

"But she wasn't the only person who helped make it come true." Preston suggested. James had no reply to that.

"So if the Commonwealth's doing well, I assume the CPG's been dissolved?" James asked. Preston shrugged as he began to pace around the room.

"Something of sort" Preston said as he fiddled with a book in its shelf. James eyed him carefully, wondering why Preston was trying to be so cautious with his words."The Commonwealth Provisional Government that you and General Katherine established originally consisted of a Council of Settlement Leaders and the President. A title that you nominated the General for personally." Preston gestured at James and James nodded.

"Right, and since we disappeared, I assume a new President was elected?" James inquired. Preston winced.

"Not really, we tried, the Council really did. But we quickly split into factions." Preston said.

"You mean splintered again into various factions that compete against one another? Really? After everything that we went through together?" James asked.

"Not quite. Danse's Brotherhood and me got along well. He had trouble trusting Desdemona but Deacon eventually got Danse to come into the fold." Preston answered.

"What? Danse agreed to ally with the Railroad?" James asked, remembering Danse's extreme prejudice against anything the Brotherhood deemed "not natural".

"It's really more the new blood of factions that cause the problem, but I'm sure you'll come to meet them sooner or later." Preston said. "The point is that the Brotherhood, the Railroad, and the Minutemen stand by the Enclave. Your word is as good as ours." James nodded as Preston tipped his hat and prepared to leave.

"So then, things in the Commonwealth are not going well politically. Great, I'll keep that in mind." James sighed and stood to see Preston out.

"Thanks, Commander. I'm glad you understand." Preston said. James walked Preston to the door and held it open as Preston walked out.

"Oh, by the way, a settlement-"

"Not today, Preston." James said. "But thanks for trying."

"Of course, figured I'd see if anything about you had changed since you went under is all." Preston said with a small smile. James noticed that Preston had aged considerably despite being younger in age that James. A few scars covered his face now as well. As well as they appear now, the Commonwealth is still a dangerous place.

"I'm sorry I don't have more time to run around with you Preston. Wish it could be like old times. but-"

"But they aren't." Preston finished. "I know. I get it. You don't have to tell me." And then he left. James nodded and then closed the door.

James looked around his house. Completely furnished, radio on the bar table on and playing Frank Sinatra's "We'll Meet Again". Paintings lined the walls as if he lived in a mansion back before the war or in a Vault rather than a house on the edge of a wasteland. The way things were now, James was hard-pressed to remember what the town was like the first time he arrived with Marie all those years ago.

Then in the middle of James's daydream about the past, a knock jarred him back into the reality. James wiped his face and turned to answer the door.

"Is my house the new town hall or am I really that popular?" James asked as he threw the door open. Before him stood a teenage girl with red wavy hair tucked into ponytail while dressed for school. "Uh, what is this?"

"Well, I know it's been a while but it really hurts for you not to recognize me James." the girl said. James cocked his head to the side.

"I know you?" He asked.

"Yeah, really hurts James." she said as she brushed past him and strode into the house. She dropped her bookbag on the couch and took a seat on the couch as grabbed a nuka cola from the fridge and took a seat by the radio.

"Um, what?" James asked. The girl flipped up the volume as Travis began talking about some Superhero craze in Goodneighbor. Codsworth then slowly floated in casually humming a beat.

"Miss Marie, how would you like your afternoon tea today?" Codsworth asked, apparently not seeing James. James frowned and stared at Codsworth as he passed and back at the girl.

"Not today, Codsworth." Marie said. "I'm not in the mood for tea."

"Of course then, mum!" Codsworth chirped. "A sandwich it is!" Marie groaned and rolled her eyes on the couch.

"Codsworth…" James began. Codsworth spun an eye as the rest of him enthusiastically made Marie a sandwich.

"As I live and breath, Mister James!" Codsworth exclaimed. "Oh I am so excited to see that you are back amongst the living! May I get you anything, sir?"

"No, Codsworth. I'm fine." James said as he struggled to find words to fill the gaps in his mind left from utter shock and surprise. "Marie…. I"

"No, I think you've said enough back there, James." Marie said leaning over the back spine of the couch with a sarcastic smile aimed at him. James was speechless.

"Sounds like you have the quite a trouble on your hands, Master James." Codsworth mused before resuming his great work of assembling the perfect sandwich. James grabbed a stool and sat across from Marie, who still leaned over the couch. He sighed trying to think of something to say.

"Marie, I'm sorry." James began. Marie cocked an eyebrow and leaned back and sat in the couch once more, back facing James.

"What for?" she asked as she crossed her arms. James rolled his eyes and stood from the stool. He vaulted over the couch and landed hard on the decaying furniture.

"Hey!" Marie cried as his sheer weight forced the cushions to pluff upwards and forced her to bounce in the air.

"What? Did I do something?" James asked, as if her were surprised at her reaction. Marie eyed him carefully but refused to grace him with a response. "Now we're getting somewhere." James thought as he smirked.

"I'm sorry for one, losing you, and then two for taking so long to find you." James said, not daring to look up at the girl he was supposed to protect. "I promised your father I'd protect you. And I was terrible at the one thing he asked of me." Marie visibly relaxed as James looked up to check on her. He nodded slowly without a word and began to fiddle with his Pip-Boy.

"It's okay, James. I was never mad about that anyways." Marie said quietly. James shot her a confused look and found that she now was staring back at him.

"Then what were you mad about?" he asked softly.

"I don't know." She responded. "I guess I thought that you'd save me like some knight on shining armor, but all efforts to save me only showed me that you too are only human."

"Well, that's some deep thoughts for a teenager." James commented. Marie rolled her eyes at him. James shrugged. "Just a joke, sorry."

"I thought, that everything would be perfect once you showed up, but just as our reunion started, instead of a happy ending, it was you who got taken and me left behind." Marie said softly as she stared at her boots. James nodded, it was a feeling he knew well.

"I know it's hard, kid." James said. "I know all the sorrys in the world can never make up the hard times you had to go through without me. I won't always be there, it's a hard lesson but you found out the hard way. I am sorry, Marie. For everything. I hope that we can try to catch up. Maybe make up for some of the lost time." James finished with a soft smile and nudge at Marie's shoulder. She eyed him carefully before accepting his apology. Marie sighed and jumped to her feet.

"Well, I do hope we can get along. I do live here after all." Marie said cheerfully before stalking away to one of the back rooms.

"You do? Wait a second, there's only one bedroom!" James called after her.

"Exactly!" Marie said with a large smile before slamming the door.

"Oh great, I come home and all I get is the couch." James said with a hand on his forehead. "Well, kid. I'm headed out. You stay safe and uh, do whatever it is that you do!" He shooked his head as he grabbed his leather jacket and slung it on.

"I'm ready." Marie's voice said from behind him. James frowned and turned to find Marie dressed as if she were about to attend a military hearing. It was military dress uniform. One of the official, high-level ones Pre-War officers wore. Only this one was black and engraved with silver linings that made it quite obvious that it was Enclave.

"What do you think doing?" James asked inquisitively. Marie gestured at her outfit.

"You're headed out for inspection as a Settlement Leader. I am going to join you." Marie said as she tucked her red hair into a ponytail before slipping a black officer hat over her hair.

"No I'm not. And no, you're not." James replied. "I'm just headed out for a walk. Been in this house way too long."

"You've been back for four hours." Marie said with a sassy look. James grinned as he zipped his jacket up halfway.

"Exactly" James said with a grin. Marie groaned.

"I am coming with you. There's nothing you can do to stop me." Marie said confidently. James gave her a look before turning around for the door. James grabbed his duffel bag and slipped it on his shoulder before reaching for the door.

"Sorry, kid. I know just got back but I'm going for a walk. I swear. I'll be back soon. Probably." James said as he turned the door handle.

"Good, then if it's short, I'll just come with you." Marie said leaning against the wall by the door.

"No, you're not." James repeated.

"Then. I'm afraid I will have to report you for breaking a General Edict. 11 to be specific." Marie said with a frown as she whipped out a pencil and a clipboard.

"What?" James asked, amused. "A General Edict?"

"That's right." Marie confirmed. "Don't ask me, I just enforce the law. One of Arcade and Nate's pet projects you see."

"They created a set of laws without me?" James asked, incredulous. "Which one am I breaking?"

"No adult can allow a child to journey more than 100 feet from the family house. Penalty I'm afraid, is death." Marie said with a sick smile. James was amused. Leaned forward to look Marie directly in the eyes.

"You think you can hustle me?" James asked carefully.

"Not a hustle, sir. Just the law." Marie replied cooly. James looked back up to find Codsworth hovering closeby.

"Your sandwich, mum." Codsworth said before redirecting his eyes at James. "It's true Master James. There is such a mandate." James nodded before slowly stroking the stubble on his chin.

"Okay then." James said. "You're with me then, kid." Marie jumped in the air and seemed to fist-bump the air.

"But you carry my bag." James added.

"What?!" Marie protested.

"Well, otherwise, I guess I'll just have to, uh, die then." James said with a smirk. Marie pouted as James handed the bag to her. She snatched it from him before slipping it on. "Great. You're doing swell already kid. Now let's lay down a few ground rules."


	63. The Old Ways

"So, I heard that you are top of your class at Sigma Academy." James said as he rummaged through his duffel bag at his workshop in the Red Rocket Garage just outside Sanctuary Hills. "Care to comment?"

Marie was seated on a bar stool next to a broken refrigerator with the door ripped off. She paused to construct her next sentence carefully while she methodically studied the details of the workshop.

"Well, I guess top of the class is close enough." Marie said bashfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?" James asked as he tossed out a few spen Fusion Cells and carefully began laying his weapons down on a clean desk.

"I'm more like top 10 in the school." Marie said with a wince. James paused and looked carefully at the girl.

"Really?" James said with a smile. "And what exactly do you guys do at the Academy?"

"Well, lots of stuff." Marie said. She had now picked up a few pieces of scrap metal and circuitry and began to fiddle with it. She thought James couldn't see her, but a well-placed mirror next to the weapons rack helped him look without looking.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Mm, well Arcade says that a lot of what we learn in the school part comes straight from the Vaults." Marie said as she bent a piece of wire. James nodded as he began to sort his ammunition by type and caliber on the desk before him.

"Mhmm, go on."

"We really just learn a lot of what Arcade says Vault kids learned and that he added some extra history from Brotherhood records and Followers of the Apocalypse texts as well." Marie continued. "That's just the morning, then Boone and Brandis representing the Enclave and the Brotherhood respectively then go over extensive combat training."

"Which one gets more focus?" James asked, pausing all work. Marie sat still for a few moments before swinging her legs and answering.

"The combat training of course." Marie said happily. James nodded slowly.

"Right." He said solemnly. "Guess I'll have to go down there myself and have a little talk with them."

"Is Sigma Academy the only school for Enclave-Allied settlements, Marie?" James asked.

"No, there are multiple schools." Marie answered quickly. "But Enclave Officers travel to each settlement periodically to give out some kind of people test. Then whoever scores the highest are often encouraged to enroll in Sigma Academy." James grunted and turned around, finally finished sorting his ammunition.

"Is it optional?" James asked.

"Definitely." Marie nodded. "Better than that, it's also free! That's why I was able to enroll." James was taken aback. The Enclave still remembered some of his changes.

"I see, and where is Sigma Academy located?" James asked.

"Well, because there's so many students now, we actually rotate through various settlements, mainly for combat training and localization training. But the main campus is in Lexington." Marie answered hopefully.

"Lexington." James remarked. "It's cleared of ghouls?"

"Yeah, for about a year now." Marie replied casually.

"How?"

"Well, the way I hear it, Hancock and Nick Valentine joined up to herd the ferals over to the Slog where they roam a large fenced area." Marie said. "But that's about as much as Piper tells me. Being the Head Scribe for the Council must not be an easy job. She tells me that there's so much going on, but very little that she can really share." James thought about all this new information. Ghouls herded? Ferals given a roaming area, like livestock? Piper working for a government organization?

"The Piper I knew never would have given up her freedom to report on whatever she thought the public needed to know." James commented.

"Well, apparently she's found a compromise." Marie shrugged.

"Wait a minute, you know what compromise means?" James asked.

"I do go to school, you know." Marie said, bored.

"Right, my mistake." James said with a grin before starting the process of cleaning his weapons.

"So when are we going to get going?" Marie asked impetuously.

"I haven't decided yet." James responded without a thought. He lifted a pistol, checked it's sights before disassembling it quickly.

"You haven't decided yet?" Marie asked in disbelief.

"Nope."

"How?" she asked.

"Easy. I just didn't do it." James said as he tossed aside a rifle with a bent barrel.

"Don't you need to plan for things before you go on a trip? Especially across half the Commonwealth?" Marie asked.

"No, never did it before." James said cooly. "Besides" he said as he lifted his left wrist. "I got this."

"That Pip-Boy is just a crutch for you." Marie said.

"Well, lucky for me that I've got the sturdier model." James returned.

"So if there's no plan. What is that interests you now about the Commonwealth?" Marie asked. "I mean, if what Arcade teaches to be true in the Academy, isn't your job kind of done?" James paused and turned back. But not to look at Marie. He stared at the X-02 Command Power Armor. Badly damage from the Confrontation at Quincy. JAmes still hadn't found all the right parts to put it quite back together. Then he looked back at the girl.

"Maybe it finally is." James said with a small smile.

"You look disappointed." She commented.

"Maybe I am."

James looked back at his workshop and continued working again. Marie hopped off the chair and walked over to the radio and flipped it on. Travis's now much-smoother and suave voice then coaxed James into listening to The Ink Spots's "We'll Meet Again". And he didn't stop working until night had fallen.

"Come on, it's time to get up." James said, waking the Marie up.

"What?" she groaned as fatigue overtook her senses and body. "What time is it?"

"Doesn't matter. Now get up, we're moving." James hissed.

James snatched his freshly packed duffle bag from the ground and exited the garage. An Enclave Patrol passed him, with the power armored troopers waving acknowledgements. He waited for the girl to exit the garage as the night dragged on above him.

After what seemed like an hour, Marie trudged out of the garage and yawned loudly. James chuckled and shook her gently awake.

"Come on," he said. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"I'm soooo excited" Marie moaned as they began the long day's walk.

It was soon past midday, Lexington sat far off in the distance as James waved Marie forward.

"I don't know why you're being so cautious." She complained. "Things have really changed for the better now. You don't have to check over your shoulders every three seconds."

"Well, maybe so, but I like to do things the old fashioned way." James grinned. A gesture that was difficult to see in the early morning darkness. Suddenly a growling noise caught James attention. "Marie, don't move."

"What?" Marie asked, annoyed when suddenly behind her she saw a pack of feral dogs. James slowly raised his rifle at the dogs as they inched towards Marie. Theirs breaths left wisps in the cold air of the early morning.

"Don't freak out, kid." James said softly. "I'm right here." As he raised the rifle to aim, he spotted Marie reaching for a knife on her belt and he couldn't help but smile. Most kids even if they were teenagers would barely have the discipline not to run. James snapped the rifle to bear and unleashed a flurry of rounds in a quick succession. Aiming and firing before pulling the bolt of the rifle back and slamming another round into the chamber. With each successive round, another dog went down. Marie drew her knife but by then was left with just a pile of bodies around her. She snapped left and right as if ready to engage but was left disappointed as the threats had already been eliminated.

"So," James said amused as he approached Marie while simultaneously loading more rounds into his rifle. "Commonwealth isn't as bad as it used to be, huh?" Marie scoffed.

"That didn't count." She said sorely. James laughed and slung his rifle across his back.

"Right, and I didn't kill all those feral dogs." James said cooly and checked each body for some loot. Once satisfied that the dogs contained nothing of value, he stood up and continued walking.

"So where are we going?" Marie asked, trotting forward from her frozen position to catch up before matching pace.

"I'll know when we get there." James replied. Marie made a face.

"So when will I know?" she asked. James shrugged and continued walking. "I'm being serious!"

"So am I!" James said without looking back. Marie glared at him incredulously before reluctantly following along.


	64. Just A Walk

"So, I heard that you are top of your class at Sigma Academy." James said as he rummaged through his duffel bag at his workshop in the Red Rocket Garage just outside Sanctuary Hills. "Care to comment?"

Marie was seated on a bar stool next to a broken refrigerator with the door ripped off. She paused to construct her next sentence carefully while she methodically studied the details of the workshop.

"Well, I guess top of the class is close enough." Marie said bashfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?" James asked as he tossed out a few spen Fusion Cells and carefully began laying his weapons down on a clean desk.

"I'm more like top 10 in the school." Marie said with a wince. James paused and looked carefully at the girl.

"Really?" James said with a smile. "And what exactly do you guys do at the Academy?"

"Well, lots of stuff." Marie said. She had now picked up a few pieces of scrap metal and circuitry and began to fiddle with it. She thought James couldn't see her, but a well-placed mirror next to the weapons rack helped him look without looking.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Mm, well Arcade says that a lot of what we learn in the school part comes straight from the Vaults." Marie said as she bent a piece of wire. James nodded as he began to sort his ammunition by type and caliber on the desk before him.

"Mhmm, go on."

"We really just learn a lot of what Arcade says Vault kids learned and that he added some extra history from Brotherhood records and Followers of the Apocalypse texts as well." Marie continued. "That's just the morning, then Boone and Brandis representing the Enclave and the Brotherhood respectively then go over extensive combat training."

"Which one gets more focus?" James asked, pausing all work. Marie sat still for a few moments before swinging her legs and answering.

"The combat training of course." Marie said happily. James nodded slowly.

"Right." He said solemnly. "Guess I'll have to go down there myself and have a little talk with them."

"Is Sigma Academy the only school for Enclave-Allied settlements, Marie?" James asked.

"No, there are multiple schools." Marie answered quickly. "But Enclave Officers travel to each settlement periodically to give out some kind of people test. Then whoever scores the highest are often encouraged to enroll in Sigma Academy." James grunted and turned around, finally finished sorting his ammunition.

"Is it optional?" James asked.

"Definitely." Marie nodded. "Better than that, it's also free! That's why I was able to enroll." James was taken aback. The Enclave still remembered some of his changes.

"I see, and where is Sigma Academy located?" James asked.

"Well, because there's so many students now, we actually rotate through various settlements, mainly for combat training and localization training. But the main campus is in Lexington." Marie answered hopefully.

"Lexington." James remarked. "It's cleared of ghouls?"

"Yeah, for about a year now." Marie replied casually.

"How?"

"Well, the way I hear it, Hancock and Nick Valentine joined up to herd the ferals over to the Slog where they roam a large fenced area." Marie said. "But that's about as much as Piper tells me. Being the Head Scribe for the Council must not be an easy job. She tells me that there's so much going on, but very little that she can really share." James thought about all this new information. Ghouls herded? Ferals given a roaming area, like livestock? Piper working for a government organization?

"The Piper I knew never would have given up her freedom to report on whatever she thought the public needed to know." James commented.

"Well, apparently she's found a compromise." Marie shrugged.

"Wait a minute, you know what compromise means?" James asked.

"I do go to school, you know." Marie said, bored.

"Right, my mistake." James said with a grin before starting the process of cleaning his weapons.

"So when are we going to get going?" Marie asked impetuously.

"I haven't decided yet." James responded without a thought. He lifted a pistol, checked it's sights before disassembling it quickly.

"You haven't decided yet?" Marie asked in disbelief.

"Nope."

"How?" she asked.

"Easy. I just didn't do it." James said as he tossed aside a rifle with a bent barrel.

"Don't you need to plan for things before you go on a trip? Especially across half the Commonwealth?" Marie asked.

"No, never did it before." James said cooly. "Besides" he said as he lifted his left wrist. "I got this."

"That Pip-Boy is just a crutch for you." Marie said.

"Well, lucky for me that I've got the sturdier model." James returned.

"So if there's no plan. What is that interests you now about the Commonwealth?" Marie asked. "I mean, if what Arcade teaches to be true in the Academy, isn't your job kind of done?" James paused and turned back. But not to look at Marie. He stared at the X-02 Command Power Armor. Badly damage from the Confrontation at Quincy. JAmes still hadn't found all the right parts to put it quite back together. Then he looked back at the girl.

"Maybe it finally is." James said with a small smile.

"You look disappointed." She commented.

"Maybe I am."

James looked back at his workshop and continued working again. Marie hopped off the chair and walked over to the radio and flipped it on. Travis's now much-smoother and suave voice then coaxed James into listening to The Ink Spots's "We'll Meet Again". And he didn't stop working until night had fallen.

"Come on, it's time to get up." James said, waking the Marie up.

"What?" she groaned as fatigue overtook her senses and body. "What time is it?"

"Doesn't matter. Now get up, we're moving." James hissed.

James snatched his freshly packed duffle bag from the ground and exited the garage. An Enclave Patrol passed him, with the power armored troopers waving acknowledgements. He waited for the girl to exit the garage as the night dragged on above him.

After what seemed like an hour, Marie trudged out of the garage and yawned loudly. James chuckled and shook her gently awake.

"Come on," he said. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"I'm soooo excited" Marie moaned as they began the long day's walk.

It was soon past midday, Lexington sat far off in the distance as James waved Marie forward.

"I don't know why you're being so cautious." She complained. "Things have really changed for the better now. You don't have to check over your shoulders every three seconds."

"Well, maybe so, but I like to do things the old fashioned way." James grinned. A gesture that was difficult to see in the early morning darkness. Suddenly a growling noise caught James attention. "Marie, don't move."

"What?" Marie asked, annoyed when suddenly behind her she saw a pack of feral dogs. James slowly raised his rifle at the dogs as they inched towards Marie. Theirs breaths left wisps in the cold air of the early morning.

"Don't freak out, kid." James said softly. "I'm right here." As he raised the rifle to aim, he spotted Marie reaching for a knife on her belt and he couldn't help but smile. Most kids even if they were teenagers would barely have the discipline not to run. James snapped the rifle to bear and unleashed a flurry of rounds in a quick succession. Aiming and firing before pulling the bolt of the rifle back and slamming another round into the chamber. With each successive round, another dog went down. Marie drew her knife but by then was left with just a pile of bodies around her. She snapped left and right as if ready to engage but was left disappointed as the threats had already been eliminated.

"So," James said amused as he approached Marie while simultaneously loading more rounds into his rifle. "Commonwealth isn't as bad as it used to be, huh?" Marie scoffed.

"That didn't count." She said sorely. James laughed and slung his rifle across his back.

"Right, and I didn't kill all those feral dogs." James said cooly and checked each body for some loot. Once satisfied that the dogs contained nothing of value, he stood up and continued walking.

"So where are we going?" Marie asked, trotting forward from her frozen position to catch up before matching pace.

"I'll know when we get there." James replied. Marie made a face.

"So when will I know?" she asked. James shrugged and continued walking. "I'm being serious!"

"So am I!" James said half-jokingly without looking back. Marie glared at him incredulously before reluctantly following along. James adjusted the strap on his shoulder before looking back at the moody teen following. He smiled to himself as he thought of his own journey with his father all those years back in the Capital Wasteland. He sighed as he thought of the days long since passed. What he'd give to go back. Back to the times that everything seemed easier. Where the only thing that mattered was scouring every inch of the wasteland just because. No need for reason, no need to be responsible for anything. James looked back at Marie and a vision of Ashur flickered in the recesses of his mind. Images of the Pitt lingered, even after all this time. "Listen, Marie." James said softly, she seemed to hear but refused to look up. "I just want to go a little trek around the Commonwealth. For kicks, no reason. No destination. No responsibilities. Just enough to clear my head. You wanted to come so I'm not gonna stop you. But I'm also not gonna make you come with me if this isn't what you want." James noticed that Marie had stopped in her tacks, forcing James to stop as well. _That's great._ James thought, _Just pissed off a teenager, this is gonna go well._ "Marie-"

"I want to know what happened to the Pitt." Marie said quickly. James frowned and was rendered speechless. A crow flew away in the distance, likely spooked by something.

"The Pitt?" James asked. Marie looked up at James, determined.

"My home." She said. "The one that was taken from me." James scanned his surroundings looking for a way to stall. Give himself time to think, space to breathe.

"Well, you know that it was destroyed." James began. Marie shook her head.

"I'm not interested in why we left." Marie said, almost with a sense of disgust. "I want to know what things we really like in the PItt before you came and what you did to change it." James frowned again. His gaze darkened as he recalled the raider gangs of the Pitt.

"I don't want to talk about it." James said lowly.

"Well, I do." Marie said, not breaking her composure. "Sigma Academy teaches a lot about the Pitt."

"They what?" James asked, surprised.

"It's said that the Mobile Crawler stopped at the Pitt hoping to make use of the Steel Mill, but they found so much more." Marie said. "They found survivors."

"No…." James murmured. _All this time?_ He wondered.

"And to prevent another incident like the Pitt from happening again, the Enclave teachers Sigma students the history of the Pitt. Only one thing is missing from their records." Marie said.

James didn't even have to think about what the missing link was in their history books.

"What happened after the arrival of the Lone Wanderer?"


	65. Gathered 'Round a Campfire

James stoked the fire with a stick as Marie sat in a log across from him. He glanced at her every now and then but said nothing. In the meantime, Marie played with her Squirrel On a Stick over the flames of the pit. But she clearly had no appetite, as it had charred and was dissolving slowly over the flames and the night wind.

Thunder rumbled in the distance. James looked out and found no clouds.

"Storm's headed our way." James grumbled. He glanced back at Marie, she had put down the stick and was now staring at her boots. The flames licked them and danced around them, but she didn't move. She was almost as still as a rock. James sighed.

"I told you I didn't want to talk about it." He said as he tossed the stick into the flames and shifted a piece of firewood closer. "Now you know everything." He looked back at her, but as usual, she hadn't moved. "Feel better now that you know?" he asked. Nothing.

James stood and stretched, his leather jacket squeaking from the effort. He relaxed and looked out at the water as waves shoved against the beach and withered back to sea. The moon reflected brilliantly off the surface as a cool breeze swept past.

"I missed nights like this." James said absent-mindedly. "Back when little else mattered past survival, this was me every night." He talked as he paced back to the fire and tossed in the piece of firewood.

"Sure it made me a target for the raider gangs, but I didn't mind them." James said and glanced over to his holster carrying James Sr's M1911 pistol. "They'd never met a guy like me before." He said darkly before looking back at Marie, who was still transfixed by the flames licking her boots.

"Will you please say something?" James pleaded. Marie carefully looked up at James and still said nothing. He sighed and nodded before throwing off his jacket. "I guess I deserve that. I wouldn't know what to say to me if I was in your position." He carefully folded the jacket and placed it gently on the log beside Marie.

"I don't think even me back when people called me a hero would know what to say." James said bitterly.

"It's not that I don't see you as a hero anymore." Marie said softly. James turned back swiftly.

"What did you say?" he asked softly.

"I mean, it's not like I'm disappointed of you or scared of you or anything like that." she said once more. James scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"Uh, alright." He began thinking of a joke to lighten the mood.

"But it's more like, you had to do everything I feared that you needed to." she said. James was lost. He sat on the log, with the jacket between the two.

"What do you mean?" he asked gently, leaning in for an answer. Marie was now staring at the flames again, as if waiting for some movie or image to play in the dancing flames.

"My dad always said you were the hero the city needed." Marie said. "Whenever he tucked me in, he'd always tell me to give thanks to God for giving our city its Dark Knight."

"Dark Knight?" James asked. "What else did he say? I was a vampire?" Marie smiled but her eyes remained serious. Tired, even.

"I guess he meant that you were the Pitt's knight in shining armor." Marie began. "But you had to sacrifice a part of yourself to save the rest of us." James still was lost.

"And what part was that?" James asked. Marie frowned and shrugged.

"I'm not really sure." She said. "I only remember him talking about how our knight had to travel to Hell to smite the Devil."

"Wow, now I'm a Devilslayer." James said. "That's cool."

"But in doing so, he could never leave Hell again." she said. James sat still. Marie stared into his eyes. "You had to do bad things to keep my father's city safe." James shook his head.

"No, I did it to help everyone." James said.

"Don't lie to me," she said putting her hand on his, reaching over the jacket. "You did it to keep me safe." James again struggled to find the right words. "Don't fight it. I already know. The things Ashur asked you to do. I already know all of it." James took his hand away.

"How?" he asked. Marie scratched her arm as she looked away, stalling as she too searched for the right words. "How." James demanded.

"Danse makes us learn it at Sigma Academy." She admitted. "He says it's a vital part of our history in the Sins of Man course to know that we never repeat our mistakes again."

"I thought you said that the History of the Lone Wanderer was blank." James said. "There's nothing on me!" James said, thinking hard about any mistake he could have made all those years ago.

"That's why it's in the Sins of Man class." Marie said casually. "Danse's course is an elective where we travel to various settlements and talk to the people. They tell their stories and we file reports on it. But if we have questions, we report to Danse."

"Why does Danse run this class?" James asked. Marie shrugged.

"He says he once made the mistake of never talking to locals in the places he traveled through." She said. "So he sees this as his way to compensate for years of negligence. There's quite a few Brotherhood soldiers that accompany us."

"So all you know are the stories?" James said. Marie nodded. "Until I told everything." She nodded once more. James sighed and placed his hands on his legs, where he too watched the fire. He tossed in another piece of wood and stared into the flickering flames. He ran his hands through his hair as screams long silenced rang in his ears. The screamed grew louder and louder until a hand was placed on his shoulder. James looked up to find Marie standing over him.

"It's ok." She said. "Those actions were the fault of my father. Not yours."

"But I still did them." James said painfully. "All those people…" he said as the screams faded away.

"On my father's hands. You were simply the instrument to his reign of terror." She said.

"What?" James asked, confused. "Did you say-"

"James, I renounced Ashur as my father years ago." she said quietly.

"Why?" James asked. "Your father loved you!"

"And he built a city of slaves to protect me." She muttered, spitting disgust and hate in each word. "Protecting me on the backs of the helpless. What a legacy he left."

"He abandoned it and replaced it with a new, fair system!" James protested.

"With your help." Marie refuted. "He implemented a system of your design. He couldn't do it on his own."

"But he's your father…."

"He's dead to me."

"He died protecting you!"

"He died protecting his city." she spat. The flames exploded, likely hitting an air pocket within the piece James put in minutes ago. She glared at the flames. As if watching it would remind of her of the city on fire that James took her away from.

"He loved you." James whispered.

"But I don't love him." She returned. James's mind couldn't help but return to the Jefferson Memorial. A green sheet of glass sealed between him and his father. A gloved hand on the glass.

"Run." James looked at the fire.

"Fathers do things that their children don't like." James reconciled. Marie remained transfixed by the before her. "Sit down, Marie." She obeyed and looked back at him. James held his father's pistol tightly in his hand. He stared at it and remembered his father handing him the pistol on his 19th birthday.

"You'll need it more that I do, son." he had said. Little did James know that this would preface his father's escape to the wasteland and the beginning of every event that led to this moment.

"My father, wasn't so different from yours, Marie." He said softly, rubbing his left index finger against an engraving his father had made onto the wooden grip.

"That's not what I learned, James." Marie said, annoyed. "Your father was a good man. Too good for this world."

"And that's why I have to tell you about the worst thing he ever did to me." James returned. Marie cocked an eyebrow at James direction.

"Let me tell about the day everything changed."


	66. Politicking

"-And that will end today's session!" the head speaker of the Commonwealth Council barked before banging an old wooden gavel on the wooden desk. "Good day!" his reared itself itself into James's ears once more as the members slowly began to leave their stations for bluerer skies and greener pastures. James shook his head and sighed as he relaxed in his pue.

The Council Chambers were located in the Old North Church. For whatever reason, completely unknown to James, people had thought this was the ideal location for their meetings and hearings.

"Politics…" James muttered grumpily as he watched Hancock, the ghoul leader of Goodneighbor, now ironically one of the richest "new money" settlements in all of the Commonwealth, conversed with a few others that James knew. Danse, for one, spoke animatedly with the ghoul and without disgust on his face. Despite his synth heritage and Brotherhood upbringing, he spoke to Hancock with no sign of disgust. Which was one of the most expressive emotions that Danse used to be capable of utilizing back when James last saw him.

James eyed Deacon, who again had changed his face. Now Deacon looked to be a much younger, specimen, with short, styled blond hair. He now had sharp features and was growing some stubble. Deacon had his arms crossed, he was unhappy with something. And interestingly enough, it wasn't Danse that Deacon appeared to have a problem with.

"You don't like politics, James?" Marie asked as she chewed some gum. She had her legs kicked up on the back rest of the pew ahead of her and seemed to be enjoying herself.

"What? Was it that obvious?" James asked. Marie nodded and James rolled his eyes. "You look like you're having fun…"

"Actually, I am." Marie confirmed. "This used to always be my favorite place to visit in Danse's class."

"Hmm, see, you do take after your dad!" James joked, but he had hit a sore point and Marie's expression shifted. James took the joke back internally and nodded. "Yup…" he muttered.

"So what are we doing here, James?" Marie asked. "Even Danse only brings us here when something interesting's going on?"

"Oh yeah?" James challenged. "Like what?"

"Like the time when the Council had to decide between 'sterilizing' the feral ghouls within Commonwealth territory or 'relocation'." Marie refuted. James stopped. He was already interested.

"I bet that was pretty interesting." James agreed. "What was Danse's take on the issue?"

"He actually casted the deciding vote on the issue." Marie said.

"What?"

"Yeah, it was really dramatic and everything." Marie continued. "Diamond City led the charge on the sterilization front while Goodneighbor was obviously leading the relocation effort."

"Diamond City?"

"Yeah, McDonaugh was elected Governor of the Green District and therefore represents Diamond City and its immediate surroundings in the Council."

"Huh," James said stroking his chin as he thought.

"Anyways, the factions were deadlocked and all eyes few onto the Air District, where Danse's Brotherhood has set up shop, and then Danse voted for Relocation." Marie finished. James nodded and couldn't help but smile. Things really were changing in the Commonwealth.

"Well, I sure am surprised to see you here." a voice said, calling James back into why he was here. "General."

Preston stood above James flanked by Danse, Deacon and Hancock.

"So here we are." James began. "Things really have changed around here."

"Well, not really." Deacon said, bursting James's bubble of hope.

"What's the problem now?" James asked.

"It's quite a few, Elder." Danse added. "Though the safety of the Commonwealth is no longer in question, there are people who wish to lead this country in danger once more."

"Danger?" James asked. Deacon stepped in, waving his arms between Danse and James dramatically.

"Whoa there, now." Deacon interjected. "I know it's been a while and you like to get straight to business, boss. But like you already know, things have changed. And you really need to be briefed."

"Okay, brief me." James said.

"Not here." Deacon said. "Follow us."

James looked out the truck as it whizzed past building after building. Marie stared out the windows with indifference, but James was amazed. It was almost as if he were the deprived teen and she was the disgruntled middle-aged man.

"When did we get cars working again?" James asked.

"We didn't!" Hancock shouted from the driver's seat. "This is a gift o' your pal, Mr. Hale!"

"Hale?" James asked as he recalled the man once known as The Courier. At least James used to know him by the title he held out West.

"Yeah, man!" Deacon said from the passenger seat. "Turns out Hale owns a few company tech giants out West that are super into science and stuff." James looked the truck over. It was clearly old and used. It resembled a military truck, complete with bullet holes and even rips in the metal sheet around the chassis.

"Yeah, I'm a huge shareholder with them." James mumbled haphhazardly. "But I've never seen one ready to drive before."

"Guess, he held some stuff out on you, boss." Deacon said with a laugh. "Anyways, a few months after you go missing for good, he and his big ass train pops out here out of nowhere and his people start developing things left and right."

"What?"

"Yeah, he ships everything into Country Crossing. Don't ask me how he got that to work with a big ass working train on rails older than the half the buildings here. But he did it. Built this huge shiny four story building right next to the tracks and everything. It's all decked out with the best stuff and-"

"Let me stop you there." James said, interrupted Deacon's rant on Hale's exceptional business acumen. "I've been out West. I've seen New Vegas, I know exactly what Hale is capable of."

"Wow, you've actually been out that far?" Hancock asked. "Out even to Nevada, huh?"

"Dude, you never told me you knew what Nevada was!" Deacon said.

"Hey, i'm a man who gets around." Hancock responded. "But even if you've been out to as far as New Vegas, you should see Jamaica Plains, now."

"What happened to Jamaica Plains?" James asked.

"Well, don't take my word for it, but Hale's changed the place to a resort town. Everything a man could ever ask for, all right there in that town." Hancock said longingly. "Women, chems, women, caps." Hancock took a deep breath as if breathing his first breath of fresh air in forever. "A wonderland!"

"Okay, okay, dreamboat." Deacon laughed. "Stop drooling, we're here." The truck rolled to a stop and light flapped into the back of the truck.

"C'mon General, just a few doors away to privacy." Preston said, holding up the canvas flap of the truck's trunk. Marie stepped out first with James following seconds after.

James stepped onto the freshly paved concrete. He landed with a _clack_ that he hadn't heard since he first walked onto Enclave developed territory.

"Where are we?"

"Well, boss," Deacon began with a curt bow. "Welcome to the Switchboard."

James looked up to see a brand-new building had replaced Slocum Joe's. It resembled a fortress, an old one, not dissimilar to Fort Independence's architectural style.

"Who funded this?" James asked.

"Funny story," Deacon said, another lead-in to an overly complicated version of events.

"It was us." Another voice finished for Deacon. James turned to find Nate and Arcade had arrived, a vertibird sat on a helipad in the distance, its rotor blades still slowing to a stop.

"Us?" James asked. "We funded the renovation of this place? God, how much did that cost?" James asked, already calculating the numbers of caps that must of been moved around in the transaction.

"Actually, it was seen as a 'return' of sorts to one of the Enclave's apparent shareholders." Nate said.

"Shareholders? The Enclave isn't a company…" James began.

"I didn't think so either, but I think Arcade explains it better."

"Well, to be frank, we had more than enough caps to finance this… endeavor." Arcade said. "However, a client of sorts felt that he owed it to you to share some of his success back with the person who helped him establish the networks of success that he now has."

"You're not saying that Hale paid for this are you?" James asked.

"Quite." Arcade confirmed. James frowned and lamented the news. _Now I owe him one, great._ "And he asked me to ensure that you understood that you don't owe him a single cap."

"But that's the problem!" James returned. "That means I do!" Arcade chuckled and flipped a few pages on the clipboard he was carrying.

"As humorous as your business acumen is, I'm sure you'd like to be briefed now, right?" Arcade asked. James quieted himself and nodded.

"Yeah, I'd really like that right now." James said. Arcade nodded and smiled. He pushed up his glasses and put the clipboard away.

"Follow me."

James sat at the table as a smartly dressed woman gently placed a cup of steaming coffee in front of him. James looked around the room. Gray cement all over, but the floor was a red carpet. Too expensive for a military installation. _Dammit, Hale_. James thought. _Always have to show me up, don't you?_ James looked up at the colleagues seated around him. There were faces he recognized and faces he didn't. Most of them he had worked with through Katherine, back when everyone actually knew where she was. Now, there was no more facilitator. The training wheels are off.

"Let's take attendance." Nate said as the only member standing. "Sherry, you ready?"

"You don't have to ask me every time, Nate." the assistance grumbled silently beside James. James smirked and saw how under Nate, The Enclave somehow had become less military-like and more of a paramilitary organization. Though different and a bit jarring, James did find the change a breath of fresh air. Even if some professionalism went down the drain.

"NIck Valentine." the synth said gruffly, raising a lit cigarette with his skeletal hand.

"Deacon."

"Preston Garvey"

"Nate"

"MacCready"

"Piper"

"Arcade Gannon"

"Boone"

"Fawkes"

"Marcus Morales"

The list went on for a few more minutes before finally ending with "James Hwang" and the room silenced.

"What are we doing here?" James asked immediately before taking note that Nate had just placed a recording device on the table with a few spare holotapes next to it. At the same time a few assistances in the corner typed on typewriters but only whenever a person spoke or moved. They were recording this. "What is this?"

"We're recording the meeting. For future reference." Nate explained.

"What for?" James asked.

"It's a contigency that we all thought would be…. prudent in case you ever disappeared again." Nate continued.

"No one wants to lead the Enclave." Nate stammered. "Just so you know. It's just that most of us are uncomfortable leading anything of this scale for a prolonged period of time." James looked into the eyes of every person in the room and realized they were all fixated on James despite it being Nate who was talking.

"We need a leader." Nate said. "And so we need you."

"And if I'm not here? How does this help?"

"This will preserve your words. Your ideas." Nate said, becoming slightly excited as each word passed through his lips. "Then we have something to go off of. Some idea of what you intend to be your vision for this organization. That way we can have consistency in our leadership rather than the devolving values that the Enclave went through just after the Great War."

"I see." James thought carefully about this proposition. "But even so, how do you prevent the issue of interpretation?"

"We load all of this data into Eden."

"You're joking."

"No, we're not." Nate said. Arcade stood and signal some staffer that James couldn't see. The assistant pushed forward a small television unit. The screen was lit with a single blue line crossing the center.

"Hello, James. It's been quite a long time since we last spoke." Eden said calmly.

"Yes, it has." James said through gritted teeth. _Why are they showing me all of this when they could just be_

"-telling me?" Eden asked. James flinched.

"What-"

"-is this?" Eden finished.

"You already did it?!" James asked, baffled. Arcade nodded solemnly.

"We tried a few months ago but ultimately it was unsuccessful." Arcade relented. James visibly relaxed, allowing Arcade to relax in tandem.

"You see, we need more data. Eden already has quite a bit of information on you already incorporated into his system. However, more data will make it more accurate in predicting your thoughts, your ideas. Eventually, Eden can be conditioned to think exactly like you."

"And you don't see how scary this is?" James asked incredulously before glancing over at Danse, who sat next to the Pride seating area.

"It does sound scary. Which is why we've had Scribes and Enclave Technicians work together on this. We don't want another incident like Autumn." Danse said monotonously.

"He really works more like PAM but for you thoughts. He'll give us your take on a situation but ultimately we'll all still discuss it right here before making a final decision on the direction we need the Enclave to go." Deacon suggested. James nodded and then rested his chin in his fingers as he began to think.

"Okay." James said as he took the time to breath carefully and slowly. "This is obviously a lot to take in. What is it exactly that I need to be briefed on immediately?"

"The Enclave." Arcade said firmly. "Things have changed within the Enclave that has specific ramifications for the Commonwealth as a whole. To be frank, you're going to need to catch up on three years of history."

"Okay." James replied. "Where do we start?"


	67. Board Meeting

"Well, isn't this a fun way to start off the day?" James asked sarcastically after hearing the tenth report on Enclave settlement building. Or how Arcade insists it be called "nation-building".

"Nothing's changed in how we build settlements, okay?" James asked, annoyed. "The system is still the same, just safer, better financed and sourced, while yielding better results. Thank you."

Arcade looked down at the folders he had made for James and James realized what this probably meant for Arcade as well.

"Okay, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. YOu guys put in a lot of work to make all of this happen and really you guys did so much more than anything I could have expected." James relented. "Let's just move on." he sighed. Arcade tossed down the manila folders and then waved a large chalkboard over.

"So now that the Settlement Strategy is over, then I'll briefly explain the current political situation in the Commonwealth." Arcade began. James nodded as he studied the figures.

"Power has been split into factions or as they prefer to be called: 'Houses' with their respective zones representing the area of their influence." James counted them slowly before realizing that the Enclave was omitted from this structure.

"Before you ask, let me explain. Originally, the Enclave had a larger role, however with the stabilization of the wasteland and overall incomes rising. Many new factions rose from the ashes then called for their chance to hold influence. With you gone, they argued that power essentially trickled to other faction leaders making the other factions become proxies of the Enclave. Which resulted in the 51% majority decision in ousting the Enclave as an official voting entity within the Council."

"So what is the Council? I've been hearing a lot about it lately."

"Officially the Council is pretty much the same as the one you and Miss Katherine left behind. The only difference is that some of the players have changed."

"Okay, so correct me if I'm wrong, but the main supporters of the Enclave include: Danse's Brotherhood, The Minutemen, and the Railroad, and Goodneighbor am I correct?"

"Pretty much, yes. Except that since the Institute, or what's left of it is now an Enclave Research facility, the Railroad has been dissolved and split into various Departments. Deacon now heads the Defense Department."

"Deacon?" James asked.

"I know right? Me?! Defense?!" Deacon said amused, as if it was all some sort of joke. "Crazy people, man."

"Right and developing from there is Desdemona's Espionage Department, which tends to sway between sides while Goodneighbor is now officially known as Goodneighbor Estates." Arcade finished.

"You're welcome, kid." Hancock said from the back of the room. James nodded and threw a sarcastic salute his way.

"So four, sometimes five factions back the Enclave. That's not bad." James replied. "So who are the others?"

"Diamond City, to name one." Nick Valentine interjected. "Don't get me wrong, a lot of the cityfolk are pretty happy with what the Enclave's been doing, and so have I to be honest. But the Upper Stands folks aren't too happy that the power is slipping from them every time an power armored patrol waltzes in and spends a fortune just on souvenirs and food. Economy's boomin now, so there's quite a few former Lower Standers up in the Big Leagues. Some people like Governor McDonaugh are not too happy with you changing the statue quo."

"Right. So the Green Giant typically votes against Enclave-allied factions."

"Wait, it's known as the Green Giant in the Council?" James asked.

"Well, there are a lot of names for it." Piper interjected. "But Green is the go-to word to describe Diamond City, since it's a lot shorter to write and to say."

"That's one. Then there's the Gunner's Guild, the Vault-Tec Federation, the Quincy Freemasons, the Salem Settlers, the Glowing Sea Giants, and then finally there's Midas House."

"Whoa, those names are mouthfuls." James responded.

"Yeah, not our choice, believe but it is what it is." Arcade commented before continuing. "A brief history of these factions are the following: The Gunner's Guild was established when more and more small-time Mercenary Companies moved into the Commonwealth after the destruction of the Institute. This led to a huge Merc's War led by a faction of so-called Capital Rangers and the Gunners allied with a Talon Company. This war resulted in a stalemate but somehow left the Gunners in power. They technically hold dominion over their zone but apparently, the two main groups vy for influence in as much area as possible. The Rangers reportedly have taken up shop at Fort Hagen."

"Rangers huh?" James muttered.

"The Vault-Tec Federation is a bit complicated. People began to resettle the Vaults once Enclave patrols merged with Brotherhood ones. This merger led to wider range in coverage of both factions and ultimately led to the demise of Raider gangs in the Commonwealth. However that is just within the territory. Outside of it is still rife with raiders, but we are still left with quite a few gangs, but they're mostly punks and street trash. Nothing too worrisome." Arcade said with a waving motion, as if that would reassure James somehow that gangs aren't dangerous. "Anyways, with vaults virtually resettled, Vault 81 called together a summit and established a coalition of sorts. They only trade with one another and are seemingly extremely xenophobic and snobbish to anyone without a Vault heritage. This attitude is attributed to the arrival of 101 Securities, a merc group that claims to come from the Capital Wasteland. They are also Vault Dwellers."

"Vault 101?" James asked. "Like they say they're from Vault 101?"

"So I hear." Arcade replied.

"I guess, I'm gonna have to have a talk with the Federation then."

"The Federation is the only House that doesn't control continuous amounts of terriory. They opted for side streets that led to one another for trade route purposes but even then, no one ever sees Vault traders so it's hard to tell what they're for. As far as we could tell, all Boston vaults have been inhabited except for Vault 114 which recently was 'cleansed' of Vault Dwellers by some unknown group."

"So is Vault 81 their capital, or their stronghold?" James asked.

"Actually, no, we're constantly hearing about a Vault 88, but no one's ever heard of it. And Enclave records show nothing about a Vault 88." Nate interjected.

"Huh, weird."

"The Quincy Freemasons are band of ghouls. They've created what they claim to be mutant paradise and invite all ghouls to join them in community. Despite creating a city specifically for ghouls however, Wiseman, their leader refuses to reject non-ghoul people from seeking to join the Freemasons. It's strange that this kind of faction would disagree so vehemently with the Enclave, but that's the basic history of this faction." Arcade said, flipping to another page on his clipboard. _That was just one page?!_ James asked, widening his eyes to try to catch a glimpse of Arcade's handwriting before the man continued with the obligatory history lesson.

"The Salem Settlers are these fierce men and women who cleared Salem of its Mirelurk infestation. In fact, every month there is some sort of Mirelurk invasion of that area, but the people are resilient and prefer to fight it off rather than leave. It's actually quite surreal." Arcade reported.

"I've been to one, it's almost like a ritual now. Now only the young men and women who wish to be acknowledged as adults participate with the actual adults watching. It's like a crab on man gladiator match." Deacon said enthusiastically.

"Though primarily a reclusive group, they are also a very aggressive sort. Most of them actually come from farther up north and speak some weird sort of language. No one can understand them, adding to why these settlers seem so shut-off with the rest of the Commonwealth."

"But if they speak the language, how are they a major faction?" James asked.

"Well, this old coot named Barney lived there before the Northerners came to settle and he fought them and the Mirelurks out like some sort of mad-man. Now they see him as their god and send him to the Council Often. Most likely to work out some kind of deal or to deliver some sort of message to the Council, but since he doesn't speak their language either, it's become an awkward situation that a powerful people have something to say that no one understands, so he's left alone on his post as the Salem Settler's representative."

"That's pretty metal." James remarked.

"What's that mean?" Danse asked.

"Forget it." James waved Danse's confusion aside as Arcade moved on.

"The Glowing Sea Giants is a nation of super mutants and is particularly known as the primary haven of remaining pirates and raider gangs." Arcade began. "I got in touch with Hale and he's told me that a few West Coast Super mutants have come over in hopes of scouting new territories for their people to settle."

"Wait, they want to do this peacefully?" James asked, doubtful of the situation.

"Oh yes." Arcade confirmed casually. "The mutants out West are a much older breed, they come from a purer variant of the FEV virus thus retaining their intellect as well as gaining strength and well everything great about being a mutant."

"Wow, mutants that can think. Fawkes! I guess you're not alone anymore!" James called out to his yellow friend in the back of the room.

"Haha! It's about time, my friend!" the yellow giant bellowed in return.

"So that's why there's a place for them in the Council. Also they help to keep the roaming Super Mutant tribes in check around the COmmonwealth, so they're really quite helpful around here. The thing is, they don't like to talk to humans so they send in another human that is close to them to handle negotiations for them."

"Damn, and I really wanted to talk to one of them old mutants to see why they were so different."

"Lastly is Midas House. It's hard to tell what Midas House does exactly. But that has to do with the fact that they claim to be completely isolationalist. Midas House Elites will leave their zone for diplomatic and trade missions, but no settler leaves Midas House territory. There is no known history but there are already stories circulating amongst the children that the Reaper of Midas House snatches away children who don't behave and wander too close to the fog. It's really caused quite the stir around here."

"Sounds like something worth checking out."

"So those are the enemy factions. The Defense and Espionage Department split occurred in order to furhter compartmentalize the information of the Railraod. So no one seeking revenge could harm the Commonwealth. The Defense Department is obviously responsible for defense and ensuring that the military factions of the Commonwealth are regulated and ready for Maxson's return. While Desdemona is supposedly keeping tabs on our friends outside the border."

"Outside the border?" James asked. Arcade nodded gravely and Preston Garvey stood from his seat.

"Mr. Hale revealed to the panel a few months ago that something was coming for the Commonwealth, something that scared him." Preston said.

"There's actually something that scares Hale?"

"Whatever it is, it's close now. Now that three years havve passed, Hale is confident that it's right around the corner and we need to get ready for attack now." Preston revealed.

"And so, just before the Enclave was ousted, the Council decided to task Desdemona with gathering information while Deacon all settlements essentially become defensible strongholds. The zone majors are the strongholds that Deacon focuses on." Arcade stated.

"Majors are basically the major settlements in a zone. For the VTF, it's their vaults. Green's got the Green Giant, Midas House has Midas Castle, and so on and so forth. Each of the majors falls within my jurisdiction so they have a Minuteman garrison stationed there at all times, ready to defense against a potential threat." Deacon said, as if reading from a report like Arcade.

"The Zones systems will start to make sense once you get out there, but each zone has its own laws. What is illegal in the Green Zone may be normal out in Gunner Territory, understand?" Nate added. To which James nodded as he processed all this information at once. It was like they expected him to be this supercomputer that will remember all this and be able to draw on it as he leads the Enclave forward.

"So how are we in terms of military standing?" James asked. Danse stood, sans power armor for once. He was wearing an olive drab Brotherhood Officer uniform not unlike the old Enclave Officer uniform.

"The Brotherhood run various Squire Academies throughout the majors that allow it. As you can guess, we are mostly relegated to Enclave-supportive settlements. The Academies range from six years of age to 18 years which is the Paladin College. The idea is train officers and people fit for officers. These academies are all voluntary and children are not taken from their families. Most participating households come straight from the Air Zone but various other settlements have dedicated their children to a life devoted to protecting the Commonwealth." Danse says just as Nate stands to deliver his portion.

"Opposite the Brotherhood academies are a series of Enclave military schools and academies. The most prestigious being Sigma Academy. Each school and academy are based in practicals so the school is more like a year long journey around all holds. Supportive and non-supportive. The students are admitted based on the results of an aptitude test to determine their most effective positioning within the Enclave military structure before placement and admission into a school. The Enclave Academies are free for participating families and based on volunteers from participating settlements." Nate said as he finished his report.

"The Enclave and Brotherhood have set up this arrangement to incite competition amongst the students from both schools. Nothing like a little competition to give the kids some way to release their pent-up aggressions and anger of living life in the wasteland while also granting them with knowledge on how to save lives and protect them." Boone added.

"Don't forget, killing as well." James said.

"Well, yes." Arcade stammered. "That wasn't the focus, but the graduation requirement from academy and into the ranks of Brotherhood or Enclave result in their ability to complete a headhunting contract outside Commonwealth territory and surviving."

"Excellent." James said. "I don't want child soldiers, let's be clear. No combat training for children, only teens."

"Yes, sir." the three of the them responded before sitting.

"We need to show people there's more to life than just surviving." James said. "And that includes the Academies as well. I mean, we can show them so much more than just combat experience, science, and battle tactics." James looked at Arcade as he spoke, then his eyes flitted to Danse, Nate, and just about everyone involved with the Enclave Academies. "We have a responsibility to show people how to live again. Life in the Vaults may not have been perfect…."

"Yeah, half of them were social experiments." Arcade pitched into the conversation.

"But people down there knew there is more to life than shooting the things that don't work. People knew how to relax and live the easy life." James said. "This faction system that replaced the status quo is definitely a sign that people don't know how to cope without conflict. So we need to show them that."

"I guess the problem I have," MacCready said, finally standing up and fixing his hat as he did. "Is that I don't think we know how to do that ourselves." James realized that for all his idealism, no one in the room knew that either. Life was a constant struggle, a rollar coaster of war and times in-between it. Peace was simply not an option, nor a normal part of their lives.

"That's true." James admitted. "But we owe to every person out there who thinks the Enclave to be their savior. We need to do better than we don't know." MacCready seemed satisfied with the answer and sat back down. The room was silent. No one knew how to proceed.

"Is there anyone who actually knows what peace is like?" Boone asked. All eyes were directed towards Nate. Nate smiled but never moved from his resting lean against a file cabinet.

"I wish I could claim to know what it's like, but I'm just a synth guys." Nate said with a smile. "I can remember times that the real Nate had, but really, I don't even know if those memories are real. I just know that the Institute made me to be an assassin. A soldier. And that's the only natural responses I have programmed into me."

"Great, so no one's got an answer." MacCready said gruffly as he leaned back into his reclining chair and struggled to muffle a yawn. "What's next? I'm starting to think peace is impossible."

James thought hard, why did he have an obsession with doing better? Why did he need for the Commonwealth to change to benefit everyone living in it? Then he looked at Marie. Who, during the entire length of the conversation had fallen asleep on a couch near a water dispenser with a comic resting over her face. James glanced at it and realized that it was titled: "The Legend of the Lone Wanderer: Into the Depths of Vault 111!".

"We need to find Katherine." James murmured. Arcade leaned forward, apparently he hadn't heard what James had said. "I wasn't the first to wake from the simulation, was i?"

A cold chill filled the room. Awkward glances and scowls began to replace the bored expssions every person in the room had. Even Nate was now visibly vexed. The lit cigarette in his fingers suddenly combusted into dust, indicating that it had moved so suddenly that the burnt paper had no choice but to dissolve into the air.

"What happened to Katherine?" James asked. Arcade stepped forward first.

"We located her pod long before we found yours." He said, uncomfortable and holding back a stammer. "But it was empty."

"Empty?" James asked, now very interested in how the rest of the narrative would go. "Were there any records?"

"None." Arcade responded. "I checked all Institute networks, even looked at 'Father's' Terminal back in the man's office. No word on why she was forced into the simulation, where she was was, or how she escaped. Only a message left for you."

"A message?" James asked. "What did it say?"

"It's a warning." Arcade said. "We don't really understand why it is necessary."

"What did it say?"

"She's coming for you." Arcade responded. James leaned back into his seat, perplexed as to why Father would warn James about Katherine in this way.

"And that's all it said?"

"Yes. We even asked Nick to do a little detective work for us." Arcade responded.

"Little?" Nick protested. "I searched half the goddamn Commonwealth looking for her. She was my friend too!"

"We all helped." MacCready said, his hat tipped so low that it appeared to hide his face. "No traces at all."

"It was like she never existed." Danse added.

"I guess it's up to me then." James noted as he leaned forward and began flipping through manila folders. "So," he said before looking up. "What's next?"


	68. The Jolly Green Giants

James trudged along the path. Clouds loomed overhead and lightning and thunder seemed to occur more and more frequently. James scanned the horizon for his target and found her.

"Marie!" he shouted. "Storm's coming, we need to find shelter!" His voice carried across the underpass of the bridge. Marie seemed to understand him and ran ahead to scout. James quickened his pace but unslung his carbine rifle. The underpass was once a raider hub, old habits die hard.

As James neared the underpass, droplets of rain began to pitter down on his baseball cap. James groaned, "This is so gonna ruin the jacket." James ran for the underpass and managed to reach the shelter the hulking metal structure just as rain the size of baseballs began to pour from the skies.

"It's like Heaven opened the floodgates." James commented. He turned to find a few bloody rags and a fresh blood spot next to a concrete divider. Bullet holes dotted the walls and rusted cars around him while casings clinked with each step. "Marie…?" James called cautiously.

A green blur shot out of the doorway and James fired a burst at the blur. The blur tackled James off his feet and shoved him against a storage container.

"Who are you?" The super mutant growled, holding James's gun arm high above his head.

"The guy about to blow your fucking brains out." James growled back holding a custom short barreled shotgun at the mutant's neck. "You'll probably tear off my arm once I do, but I will pull this trigger if you don't let the girl go when I'm done counting to five."

"I kill in three!" the mutant responded. James was impressed.

"Wow, you can talk!" He said, the mutant was taken aback and relaxed its grip. James pulled the trigger and was treated to a glorious vision of buckshot obliterating the mutant's entire left face. The image almost seemed to travel in slow motion as the slug tore the muscle off its face and took bits of jawbone with it. The mutant began to fall backwards as its remaining eye rolled into its skull.

"What have you done?!" another screamed as two more ran out into the open. James clicked his tongue as he aimed his rifle.

"Not smart, kids." he said as he fired. The first burst tore into the mutant's legs. The armor piercing rounds took chunks of muscle with it, with at least one making direct contact with bone. The mutant howled as its brother charged James with a machete lifted high above its head. James already had the gun poised to tear our the mutant's eyes while his right hand held a concussion grenade. Though the blast would have disoriented him, he had long activated Alpha Squad's Emergency Beacon. Due to their close proximity to Hangman's Alley, a Verti-Assault Squad would be in the area within minutes.

"Marie, run!" he shouted as the grenade flew from his fingers. The blast through James into the air and off the road. He rolled backwards first watching the sky roll under him before Cambridge across the river became clear, then ground fast approached his sight. He smashed into the ground, cracking his back, but James allowed the momentum to throw him backwards as he poised his feet for stopping.

James rolled back onto the soles of his feet with an aching back, and quickly lifted his rifle up. The mutants, predictedly chased him down the slope as well. Two bursts resulted in two more dead mutants. Sudenly the road became lined with mutants, too many for James to count.

"Okay…." James said warily, flitting his eyes from left to right in an attempt to count the mutants. "This is going to be a little harder than usual." he said as he slid another magazine home. The first mutant roared as James chambered the first round and lifted his rifle.

"STOP!" a gravely voice bellowed from the sky. James looked up.

"What the-?" James asked. The mutants froze in their tracks and the ranks stepped aside to make way for a larger, lighter colored mutant. This mutant was different in that he wore some kind of glasses and had various armor pieces that appeared to be designed and functional. Much more so than the typical Commonwealth variant of mutant armors.

"Who are you, wastelander?" the tall mutant asked, its glasses whirring and shaking as if they were focusing on James. James had his rifle ready to fire, but all of the mutants had lowered their weapons.

"I don't think names matter at this point." James said warily. "How come you can talk?"

"It's not just me," The mutant said defensively, while still calm at the same time. "We all can."

"You're kidding." James responded, skeptical of the idea of intelligent mutants.

"You killed our brothers!" one shouted.

"We shall avenge them!"

"Okay, so you guys can talk." James replied. "This is definitely good for me."

"We need to de-escalate the situation." The mutant that appeared to be leader said. "Let's talk."

Suddenly a flood-light rained down on the mutants as three vertibirds flew into the airspace.

"This is the Enclave! Nobody move!" a voice called from above. Meanwhile the vertibirds stabilized themselves as Power Armored Troopers rained down from the hovering aircraft. At the same time three P-80s directed a low flyover, causing a painfully loud soundwave that unsettled all the mutants.

Now flanked by troopers armed with tesla weapons, the mutants appeared to shrink from their previously dominant stances.

"This is Enclave Commander, everyone stand down." James said into the microphone stiched into his jacket. James shouldered his rifle and walked up the slope. "I agree, let's talk." He said, smiling at the mutant.

The mutant and James sat across one another at a campfire. The sun had set, and the vertibirds still hovered overhead. Every so often, the P-80s flew over, ensuring that mutants understand that air support was always nearby.

"So, Marcus…" James began. "You're how old exactly?"

"Well, it's hard to exactly how old, but I'd guess anything upwards of 200 years, now." Marcus said with his distinct gravely voice.

"You don't know how old you are?" James inquired.

"Well, to be honest, the early years are quite fuzzy now." Marcus answered, rubbing his chin as if it would help him remember. "The years before I evolved were always fuzzy, but now… even more so."

"Hmm." James grunted in acknowledgement. The idea of an intelligent mutant fascinated him. He almost wished he stayed longer in New Vegas the last time he was in town. "So where is your merry band of giants headed now? Traveling through the Commonwealth isn't safe for your kind anymore."

"And why is that?" Marcus asked. He glared at James, but only enough to be threatening, nothing more. "Are you attempting to threaten me?"

James laughed and crossed his arms. He and Marcus were seated in patio chairs overlooking the Charles River, with Cambridge in the distance. Patrols were moving about by this time and people were starting to wake up. You could see the glittering vehicles moving around as the military camps began to mobilize for training. Though everything was said to be better in the Commonwealth. James couldn't help but notice that the only thing moving about besides traders were military academies and militias. He couldn't help but wonder if things really were getting better in the wasteland.

James gestured and waved at the scenery around him.

"Just look at the place." James said passively. "I have no doubt, you can kill me at this distance before I can reach my rifle. But after me?" James waved at the Power Armored Troopers talking to the mutants in the distance. A P-80 rocketed past overhead as a Vertibird dropped off a few Sigma Squad members. Marcus eyed all of them carefully and huffed.

"True enough I suppose." Marcus relented. "We may overpower your men." Marcus and James watched together Glade and Kodiak fix up a mutant with a prosthetic leg and let him lumber off. The men and the mutants cheered and chest bumped one another. The mutants roared in approval. The men cheered once again and smashed open a few bottles of beer.

"-Or maybe not." Marcus nodded in approval before looking back at a receptive James.

"The Enclave is different from the one you know, Marcus." James began to spoke while Marcus inspected James's dress and the technology around him carefully. "The Commonwealth also isn't your normal kind of Wasteland." Marcus sniffed the air and looked up to the skies as another squadron of P-80s flew over.

"They don't let up, do they?" Marcus asked.

"Not when a band of mutants has them up and raring no." James replied. "Cambridge is just across the Charles. Towns and settlements of now what are hundreds of people are up and about, going through with their day with no knowledge that you're here." James looked back at the bumbling town. He almost laughed at how picturesque the town seemed. Especially compared to what it used to be. "How do you think a military organization would respond? When their families live less than half a mile from a large band of what they think to be to savage mutants?" Marcus seemed to ponder this for a few seconds.

"I suppose that is a fair point." Marcus finally answered. "Judging from how you have refused to utilize your overwhelming firepower to overwhelm me and my people, I would guess you are a human worthy of my trust." Marcus stood to his feet, making the ground shift and crack as he did. He raised himself to his full 11 feet stature.

"You're still quite tall for an old mutant." James commented. Marcus chuckled and looked back at James.

"I'm of a more durable breed." Marcus replied. "My people and I plan to establish a haven for mutants. I have tried many times. But thanks to an old friend of mine, I sometimes get 'itchy feet' as humans call it."

"Itchy feet?" James inquired.

"I-, sometimes get this feeling that I need to move. To walk. To wander." Marcus began. "I cannot help it. It's irresistible. I can set up all the settlements I want. I can make them as successful and stable as I want. But the wasteland always calls me home. It's siren song pulling me every time." Marcus turned from the view of Cambridge and back to James. "I can't resist it. Can you?" James smiled at the personal answer to his question.

"Not every time." James admits. "Is that why you're here?"

"It's part of the reason, yes." Marcus replied. "I hear of a glowing sea of radiation out here. A place where only my people and a few other 'evolved' individuals can hope to survive. I'd like to visit this place." He said resolutely.

"Well, I can't exactly take you." James chuckled. "I'm not quite so 'evolved' as you say."

"Just point the way." Marcus replied. "And we'll go."

"Well, I hope you can understand if I have to send some men to accompany you." James said. Marcus frowned, or at least made a face equivalent to a super mutant's frown.

"You don't trust us to move about without pillaging and raiding your homes?" he asked darkly.

"I'm here to prevent people from starting a war out of misunderstanding." James replied, just as firm. Marcus seemed to accept this and turned away.

"Just follow the birds, and we won't have any problems." James said again.

"Have you really learned nothing from our conversation, human?" Marcus asked. James stood and smiled, patting the arm of the mutant.

"What? Are you kidding?" James asked. A vertibird began to slowly descend and make its landing. "I think, it's you who has a lessons of your own to learn."

"Human!" Fawkes roared as he stepped out of the vertibird, clad in his own set of X-02 power armor.

"Impossible…" Marcus muttered under his breath.

"Hey, he can hear you." James whispered to his new mutant friend. "Stole the plans for this suit off of Hale, I hear you know him."

"Know him?!" Marcus laughed. "HAH! Hale's my drinking buddy!" Fawkes lumbered forward and hugged James, with a massive bear hug.

"It is good to see you!" Fawkes.

"Just saw you a few days ago, buddy!" James groaned, still subjected to the bear hug. Fawkes let James down gently before facing Marcus. Despite Marcus's immense height for a super mutant, Fawkes seemed to stand tall over Marcus. They stared at each other for a few moments before suddenly bursting into laughter together. James looked at both strangely.

"It's good to see that mutants are represented well out here!" Marcus laughed.

"It's good to see I am not the only one of my kind!" Fawkes replied similarly. James smiled and threw his hands into his coat pockets.

"Ready to get going?" James asked. Marcus turned with Fawkes in arms.

"Where to, human?" he asked.

It took a few hours to move the entire band of merry mutants past settlements without being seen. Along the way, Enclave patrols would cordon off streets and alleys, just to make sure the mutants could pass through without trouble or notice. James noticed, for the first time, how the buildings were coming together. What used to be entire mazes rubble, crooked houses, and terribly decaying roads and infrastructure was now replaced with glistening new houses. Well, houses completely restored from recycling old and decayed houses, but they really did look quite beautiful for houses built from trash.

Marcus was absolutely transfixed with the architecture and the repairs. Fawkes was apparently unfazed. When asked, Fawkes replied simply.

"At home, Megaton has done the same with many districts. But Vault-Tec doesn't like so they replaced Megaton. Now most of the city has been recycled just like here."

"Vault-Tec? What do you mean?" James asked as he walked alongside his old friend.

"The Vaults banded together to form a tribe. Then other tribes fought, now war rages in the Capital Wasteland." Fawkes replied.

"Dammit. I knew this would happen. I thought I told Butch to do things right in Megaton!" James replied.

"Butch left long ago too." Fawkes said. James stopped and turned Fawkes to face him. The convoy lumbered ahead without them.

"What?!"

"He is here." Fawkes said simply, scratching his helmet. "I thought you already knew."

"No, he was supposed to stay in Megaton!" James replied. He squeezed his brow and paced around. "You know what, no. It's not worth it. It's not fault, Fawkes. Just tell me where he is."

"That I do not know, friend." Fawkes replied. "Perhaps, MacCready would be more helpful?"

James frowned and began to fiddle with his jacket as he started walking again.

"Oh this is just great." James muttered to himself. "Ask him to do one thing!"

"Human, have we arrived?" Marcus asked. James looked up to answer and found it. The underpass that served as his main way to get into the Glowing Sea. Next to the road was an Enclave patrol checkpoint, but there were only a few lightly armed guards. They didn't expect to be attacked. Scientists took samples and worked closeby.

"Yeah." James replied as he stepped in front of the mutant band. "Yes we have."

Marcus stepped forward and sniffed the air, then he stretched as a radioactive breeze passed by.

"Sir, step back!" Glade's voice called from behind him. James didn't move an inch and watched Marcus saunter forward before looking back at the mutants.

"We're home!" Marcus bellowed. It was soon followed by a flood of cheers of mutants and a loud thundering. A radioactive mist filled the air as mutants began to lumber into the Glowing Sea.

"Storm's coming, sir." Glade said as he handed James a radiation cleanser. It was a repurposed rebreather than would filter the radiation out of the air. James would still need to enter a detox chamber soon but the breather would help for now.

"What are you going to now?" James asked. Marcus looked at James and then back out at the herd of mutants walking in. There were so many, that the ground shook and thundered from their steps alone.

"Probably make a home for my people." Marcus replied simply before smiling at his people entering their new home. "Then move on. Probably." James nodded before watching the mutant leader leap off the rock they stood on and seamlessly entered the hourde of mutants entering their new homeland.

"You know the Council's not going to like this." Marie said. James gave her a face.

"Suddenly, you're the political commentator?" James replied sarcastically. "Where have you been this whole time?"

"Just watching. I told you, I like these kinds of things." Marie replied simply as she watched the mutants happily enter the land. "In fact, I think the land of the giants is about to have quite the shake-up."

"Why do you that, kiddo?" James asked as Marie leaned into him for a side-hug. The first she'd done since he had awoken.

"The mutants were being led by a smart mutant, one barely smart enough to talk. Now there's a smarter mutant. It's gonna be a battle of the tribes now." Marie said.

"Yeah, well. My money's on Marcus." James said quickly.

"Yeah, but Strong's got behemoths." Marie said, looking up at James. They finally something meaningful to talk about.

"Strong? What's that?" James asked. Marie looked at James funny.

"That's the other mutant leader." Marie said matter-of-factly. "Didn't you know?"

"No, I didn't." James replied as the mist began to thicken and the last of the mutants entered the Sea. "But something tells me Strong's going to have quite the hard time fighting Marcus off."

Then the last mutant entered the sea, while the mist enveloped the entire.

"Time to clear out, people! Move, move, move!"


	69. A Trip Up Crime Alley

James zipped up a new brown leather jacket as he finished changing into the next day's clothes. It was a new day. The sun had barely risen and James was treated to a sunrise over the Charles with the Old North Church in the background. James munched on a leftover Mirelurk cake while he took in the sight for himself.

Marie murmured in her sleep and rolled over in her sleeping bag in the back of the pick-up that Arcade had gifted him a few days ago. A Brotherhood vertibird whizzed by overhead carrying a load of crates towards the Boston Airport. James chewed on his cake a few more times before fixing the creases in his jacket.

"Okay!" James shouted and slammed the side of the truck. "Time to get up!" James shouted, jerking Marie awake. James began holstering his weapons. He always had a pattern. First the knife inside the jacket. Then his father's M1911 into holster on his left leg. Amata's 10mm into his right. Then the carbine rifle onto his back. Lastly, James snatched a hunting rifle from the trunk bed then loaded a fresh magazine into it. "Ready?" James asked.

Marie sat up in the trunk bed and glared at James.

"What do you think?" she responded. James rolled his eyes and motioned for her to get out. He sighed and watched his breath wither away in the cold morning air. "It's cold." Marie shivered. James shrugged.

"Winter's coming, kid." James said casually. "It's about time to start getting ready for it."

"What are we doing up so early?" Marie asked, annoyed. "We have a car. There's no point in waking up early to get around anymore!" Marie climbed out of the truck after throwing on a sweater and saw what James was looking at.

"Now you get it, huh?" James asked, laughing at her before starting to walk.

"That's not funny James!" she cried as she stared at the wooden gate reinforced with steel girders at various points. "You know what that is right?"

"No, not really." James said said eyeing a wall riddled with graffiti. The piece that stood out to him was "Crime Alley". "Locals say this is the most dangerous place left in the Commonwealth. I want to check it out for myself."

"Is that why you loaded up on guns and knives?" Marie asked almost disgusted with how James slapped on pieces of armor haphazardly over his leather jacket and jeans. "You know that's not going to help you in Crime Alley right?" James smiled.

"So it is called Crime Alley!" James said, oblivious to Marie's obvious fears. He laughed. "What a dumb name!" He said as he passed a guard. The Minuteman tipped his hat towards James as James passed through the underpass. It was a dark wooden tunnel that only allowed one man through it at a time. James stopped suddenly as a thought entered his mind.

"You know how to use a gun right?" James asked quickly.

"What?" Marie asked, completely unprepared for James rushed thinking.

"A gun." James replied, holding up his 10mm pistol and shaking it the way he would a toy at a dog.

"I know what I gun is." marie replied, annoyed. "And yes, I'm actually a Sigma Academy qualified crackshot." She said matter-of-factly.

"Well, then maybe instead of expecting me to be impressed with your said 'skills' whenever you put the school name in front of it, and instead show me how it's done." James said confidently, handing her the pistol.

"You sure?" Marie asked, turning white as she grabbed hold of the cold metal. "Am I going to kill anyone?"

"Ha!" James laughed as he chambered a round into his hunting rifle. "I really hope so!"

James quickly passed exit of the tunnel and was met with endless barricades and wooden scaffoldings. Dead bodies littered the floor. Dried blood caked in the gutters. Flies whizzed around, clearly enjoying the atmosphere. James took a deep breath and continued walking.

"This place is so gross." Marie complained. James kept a watchful eye out. Crime Alley resembled a warzone with heads stuck on pikes and wooden signs that had spray painted words that indicated marks and pieces of territory. James walked straight through the entire carnage. Marie eyed the windows and saw people had their guns trained on James.

"James…" Marie whispered warily. "There's people with guns here."

"I know." James replied without looking back at Marie. "Isn't this exciting?"

"No, it is most definitely not exciting!" she hissed back at him. "This is not what responsible people do!"

"Who ever said I was responsible?" James asked, genuinely confused.

James and Marie walked for at least three blocks of more of the same and reached and intersection. The place was clearly an old theater. Some of the neon had been replaced marking in bold letters the name of the establishment to be: The Combat Zone.

"Who are you?" the bouncer asked gruffly. James looked up calmly at the man. James was tall, around 6 foot. But this bouncer stood a full head taller than him and ate enough to feed at least three men. James smirked at the man.

"I'm here to participate in the games." James replied calmly. The bouncer reered his head back and bellowed a large laugh that made Marie's ears hurt. The people on the scaffolding above laughed and pointed at James as well. Something that made Marie shrink in fear. But James didn't move.

The bouncer threw his head forward and slowly inched his face closer to James.

"What makes you think you can just ask for a thing like that?" the bouncer growled, eyeing James's weapons and paying especially close attention to James's jacket. The bouncer didn't stop until his forehead was pressed against James's forehead. James glared the man straight in the eye.

"What I think doesn't matter." James said softly. "But I'm not going to repeat myself after this. Let me in. Now." James's entire expression changed. The gang members on the scaffolding were now reaching for their weapons. Guns, clubs, knives, whatever they could get their hands on. James saw them and flipped a hidden knife from his right sleeve into his palm. The bouncer glared hard at James.

"Everyone stop!" a voice rang out from above. The bouncer froze and snapped back into attention. James visibly relaxed, as did the rest of the people on the scaffolding. "Let's see what this new blood can do." James raised his arm to block out the sun as he attempted to catch a glimpse of the saviour of the people he was ready to kill. "What's your name, lad?" it was now clear it was a woman's voice.

"James." James called out.

"Aw, Cait!" the bouncer moaned. "I just wanted to have a little fun with 'im!" Cait from on a balcony waved aside the bouncer.

"Ah piss off, Jerry!" Cait replied. "Let the man in and let's show him the proper welcome he deserves!"

The doors were pushed open for James as he waltzed into the building. Warriors, strapping on armor and other pieces of equipment James eyed them carefully but gave each one a polite nod. The warriors would spit at him, with one landing on his jacket. James froze and turned to see the perpetrator.

A skinny tanned man with a white skull painted on his face laughed at James's anger. James noted that the man had three earrings on his left ear and a blond mohawk while wearing a simple vault overalls that were decked out with pieces of scrap metal.

"Pussy" the man spat again. Marie gave him a face but otherwise made no move to indicate any sort of challenge. James and Marie were led into a large auditorium with a gargantuan metal cage in the center. Seats were filled with people of all kinds. Faction leaders, prominent gang members, everybody who know everybody was here.

"Ah, James!" a slavic voice called from the side of the room. James looked around, surprised to hear of someone who knew him. Vadim, the brute of a man rushed over and enveloped James a giant hug.

"Agh! Why is everyone obsessed with hugs now?!" James groaned as he attempted to breathe. Vadim backed away and scratched his nose.

"James! It is so good to so you are alive!" Vadim explained with a huge grin.

"Vadim, you're here, now." James said, slightly confused.

"Ah yes, you may be wondering why I am here, well, I have decided to open another bar!" Vadim roared and waved enthusiastically to his new bar. It was a wooden building constructed to appear similar to the Dugout Inn.

"Ah, great. Vadim!" James attempted to sound supportive, but it seemed as thought Vadim didn't care.

"I know! Exciting right?!" Vadim exclaimed and threw his burly arms into the air. "Imagine the caps that will be made now! We'll be rich, my friend! Rich!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on." James said, slowly down his excitable friend. "What do you mean, we?"

"Oh well, of course you remember the loan you gave me, right?" Vadim asked. "You know, all those years ago?"

James scoffed as he tried to recall. "Yeah, but that was to secure and buy the Beantown Brewery, Vadim, not this!" Vadim waved James's concerns aside as if there were a bloatfly hatchling.

"I did do that, James." Vadim said, finally serious. "I did everything you asked. To the letter! It's just that I had a little leftover after acquiring the brewery that I, well, I began a chain."

"You started a bar chain?!" James asked. "Where's my money, Vadim? How could you do that?!"

"Well, I thought you were dead, see?" he replied.

"That's not what you do when you think a friend is dead!"

"You don't understand, I opened chains all over the Commonwealth and also distribute free product to your soldiers. In fact, Sanctuary is my biggest hit yet. You wouldn't believe the kind of caps we make all over now!"

"Okay, so what are you doing here?" James asked.

"This is my latest franchise! I was checking up on the property, making sure my staff wasn't getting swindled by the lowlifes, you know?" Vadim said with a hand raised over his mouth as if to muffle his voice. James rolled his eyes.

"So where's my money then, Vadim?"

"That's the problem, you see because Bobrov brand is now so big, well, all of the money is already going back to the Enclave."

"Wait, that's it?" James asked, exasperated. "You mean, this whole time you could have just told me that I'm already paid back?! Why didn't you start with that?"

"Well, that is because I have proposition. Very lucrative, very good opportunity!"

"Mr. James, we're ready for you." the bouncer said while slamming his shoulder into James as he passed.

"I'm sorry, Vadim, let's put a pin on that." James said and turned away from his entrepreneureal friend. But he turned back. "But if it's really lucrative, consider me interested." he said before continuining.

"Here's the deal!" Cait shouted, silencing the room of fighters. Marie continued to stand by James, refusing to sit in the theater with Vadim and the others. James stood still but had his fingers wrapped around his knife in his sleeve.

"Despite what I said about the combat zone, we have a few rules to follow!" Cait shouted again. "No heavy armor! Leather's fine, everything else, out of the cage or out you go!"

"No guns! I don't want to see you tryin' to sneak away with a pistol. I'll cut your hand off meself before you could even hope to squeeze the trigger."

"As for weapons, knifes and clubs are acceptable! Whatever you need to smash a man's head in, but nothing outrageous, I'll be the judge o' that. Are we clear?" Cait finished and was answered with a roar of approval from the fighters. Marie looked up at James.

"James, leave you weapons with me." she said quickly. "I don't want any of those people getting their hands on them."

"Don't worry about them, kiddo. They wouldn't dare touch my stuff." James said reassuringly as he began to take off his weapons.

"Guess you set them all up for nothing, didn't you?" Marie said mockingly. James shrugged as he fiddled with his armor and ripped them off. The gangs would often stare at James, eyeing his high tech and high quality equipment. Marie would subsequently shoot a glare their way to stop them from glaring. No one likes a teen glaring at them. They don't know what to do when it happens.

"Maybe." James said, unconvinced as he laid his pistol down carefully. "Watch this one especially well, it's special."

"Why is it special?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Tell me!"

"I said don't worry about it!" James insisted before walking towards the arena.

James approached the cage door, stepping into the door marked three and stood before it. Lights flickered on and Cait was illuminated with a cool blue hue that made the stage very clear to see.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the event of the night!" Cait's voice roared from a microphone. A barbarous cheer roared from outside.

"Nice coat." a gang member said as he stroked James jacket. "Mind, If nick it after I kill you?"

James smiled at the man. "Not if you want to keep you hand."

"It's time for Murderbrawl!" Cait howled as the doors flew open. Most of the fighters charged into the brink. James stood still for a few seconds and watched as men and women entered the ring and immediately began carving into one another. James stepped out and began to whistle. He so wished he could play music, but he took off his Pip-boy during the prep to save some weight.

"C'mere, pretty boy!" a fighter growled as he charged James with a makeshift spear. James sidestepped and lunged forward with his knife in his right hand. The knife entered the man's neck and promptly lodged itself in his skull. James tugged, but the knife wouldn't move. James grunted and snapped the spear away from the now dead fighter.

A woman approached James with a fire axe and a shield. She banged the head of the axe against her shield and jumped around as if she were some kind of viking. James smiled and swung the spear upwards. The woman charged but James quickly swung the spear down onto the woman's helmeted head. The woman stumbled backwards as James grabbed her arm and threw her to the side. The woman rolled forward and recovered quickly.

"Hey!" James remarked. "You're pretty good!" James dodged a few axe axes before parrying one with his spear. He reached his leg forward and tripped the woman before pinning her to the floor by the stabbing the spear into her shoulder and the ground. The woman roared at James for sparing her.

"Tsk, tsk, so impatient." he said to himself. A man roared as he charged James's with a sword. James caught the man's sword arm, kneed him twice in the stomach before flipping the man over his shoulder. As the man flew into the air, James nicked the sword and threw the man to the ground. With one hand still grabbing onto the man's wrist, James twisted hard and heard the bones snap and crunch in his grip. The man screamed as the bones in his arm fragmented. Then James kicked the man in the groin before turning to face another threat. This man punched James's in the face causing James to stumble backwards. James recovered and the intercepted the man's next punch with the blade of his newly acquired sword.

The sword cut between the man's knuckles and lodged itself into his wrist. James twisted the sword and wrenched it away causing a spray of blood as he did so. The man screamed but James jumped into the air and stuck the man's throat with the sword. As the man fell to his knees dying. Yet another charged James. This man was clearly inexperienced as James noted while mentally marking all of the man's weak points. He backpedaled and cut an edge onto the spear and waited for the man to run again.

The man charged, just as James predicted. James waited for the man to strike and ducked at the last second, catching the man and using his momentum to slide the man over James's shoulders and onto the freshly cut spear edge. The man's weigth forced his impaled midsection to run down the spear and onto the women, which appeared to kill her. James wasn't sure.

James eyed remaining targets and flipped the sword in his hands before continuing the gruesome work. It didn't take more than five minutes before James stood alone and surrounded by red and a rather large pile of bodies.

Cait entered the ring, clearly impressed. James fought the urge to smile as he wiped his face. He was covered in blood.

"Thought you liked your jacket, love." Cait said, quickly. James looked at her curiously.

"I do love my jacket. Why would you say I don't?" he returned, Cait gestured at him and James realized that his beloved brown leather jacket had been carved up, with cuts and larges scraps missing. James sighed and threw off the jacket. He inspected it before tosing it alongside the bodies.

"I guess, not anymore then?" Cait asked.

"I guess not." James sighed.

"You might want to replace your shirt, next round starts in a minute." James saw what she meant, the shirt was also cut. The thick jacket had helped to prevent most of the damage. James was rather unharmed, only a few scratches really, but his grey t-shirt was also ruined.

"Not enough time." James replied as the buzzer rang and the blue switched hues to red. James threw off the shirt. The crowd apparently seemed to approve with the ceaseless applause and the cries for more.

"Wow." Cait remarked. "Quite the brazen one, aren't we?" James shrugged and spun the sword in his grip.

"I thought this was a classy place."

"And what gave you that idea?"

"Obviously the screams for more. What percantage of your viewers are female?"

"Small, but the staff here. Almost 90%"

"Then you do have quite the place then." James said with a smile. Cait laughed before eyeing James hungrily. Though he wasn't Grognak the Barbarian, he was lean and toned. Enough for bigger Silver Shroud? He thought to himself as the door flung open. A new competitor, though it was only one. Cait has disappeared. The man was alone. He was a ghoul.

"This man claims to be an old Chinese officer!" Cait shouted to the crowd. The ghoul spun his sword around flashily showing off his skills with the blade. James observed carefully with approval. He'd seen it before. He had to fight off General Jingwei, using the same moves. James hid a smile and entered the starting stance of the Chinese form he had learned from recovered lobotomites at the Big Mt.

The ghoul shook in horror as he recognized James's stance. He said something in the language James recognized to be Chinese. He couldn't understand it but he made out "taijijian!" James readied himself, while the ghoul did the same. However, the ghoul's confidence seemed to be shaken as he was no longer as flashy as before.

"Ready!" Cait roared. The Chinese Officer curled up into his form, while James retained his composure. "Fight!"

"Well, I have to say, I've never seen anyone with moves like those!" Cait remarked as James wiped his arms with a dirty rag. He grimaced at the thought of the diseases that could be infecting his body at that moment. The chinese officer was dragged out of the arena, unconsciouis and his sword, broken off its hilt.

"What are you going to do with him?" James asked, still watching as two giant men dragged the ghoul out of sight.

"What? Him? The loser?" Cait asked before laughing obnoxiously. "He get's tossed out. We won't kill him. But we won't protect him from people who had their bets on him either."

James grumbled before walking out. Cait reached for James in an attempt to get him to stay, but James persisted. He walked back out through the theater, still shirtless and now apparently trailing along a group of fans.

"Hey!" James shouted at the mob of people surrounding the defenseless but definitely conscious Chinese Officer.

"Get out o' here, Champion. This is a personal matter!" A man in blue suit shouted at James while aiming his revolver at the ghoul's head. The ghoul croaked some more chinese but James couldn't understand him. James raised his own pistol and fired. A red flare shot into the air and exploded with a puff. Laughter echoed around him.

"You think that's supposed to scare us?! Who do you think you're kidding?" A man in a black leather jacket shouted from below. The man approached James and drew a switchblade. "Now get back in there, and keep making me money. And don't you worry your pretty little head about what happens out here, ok?"

"Sure." James replied as a red dot materialized on the man's hand.

"What the?" The man asked before a blue laser round tore a hole through it. The man barely had time to gasp before another round exited his throat. The mob dispersed, cowering away in fear. A vertibird flew over Crime Alley as the alley erupted into a mass panic.

"Who is this guy?!" the blue suited cried out. A line of rope shot down with an Enclave Officer landing next to James. Two Troopers hammered down from above and clanked to attention, weapons raised at the mob.

"I believe you sent a call for support, Supreme Commander." The Officer said.

"Whoa, I'm Supreme Commander now?" James asked. The Officer gave James a curious look.

"Why, yes sir." The Officer replied. "The Leadership voted to promote you for better organizational purposes regarding the leadership model."

"Huh, cool." James replied.

"What are you orders, sir?" the officer asked once more.

"Keep this man safe. Find the holotapes that flash-teaches people Chinese and make sure he treated well." James said as he pointed at the ghoul surrendering below the troopers and cowering in fear.

"Of course, sir." The Officer said before snapping his fingers at the troopers. One bent down and offered a hand while the officer looked back at James. "Any other details to note, sir?"

"Yeah, make sure Boone, Danse and Arcade are notified of the situation. If possible get them to pick up the language or at least find a translator. Lastly, I want an undercover patrol safehouse set up here as soon as possible."

"Of course, sir." The officer replied before continuing to direct the ghoul to safety. James returned up the path to the theater, past his new entourage of fans and returned to the ring.

"Any requests for the big man in the cage?" Cait asked.

"I'll fight ten this time." James said quickly.

"What?" Cait asked softly, the crowd had died down as well.

"Ten fighters!" James yelled out and was answered with a roar of approval.

"Huh, you're crazy!" Cait laughed as the cage doors opened and ten fighters entered the ring.

James grinned and entered the fray. He turned to find a fighter poised to stab him. James redirected the blade to enter the man's collarbone. James put a leg behind the man's right leg and gave him a slight shove, flipping him over. Then James quickly ducked under a spear and dove between the legs of the woman wielding it before swiping his legs sideways to trip her. The woman fell as James got to his feet and caught the spear as it fell.

James entered a defensive position as the remaining 9 fighters attempted to surround him. James circled and eyed his targets carefully.

"For those of whoever who are unfamiliar with Murderbrawl, the Contester always challenges up the ranks until he fights the Grand Champion! By taking on ten at once, the only fighter left after this battle is the Grand Champion himself!"

James ducked under a spear thrust and spun his upper body around the weapons, swinging his spear wildly as he did. The looks on the fighters' faces were priceless as they were contorted with surprise and utter horror as he whipped around the last sword and shot his spearhead through a man's throat and clipping another's nose. James dropped to his knees and shot the spear through a woman's knees.

Though brutal, his methods were effective and now extinct in the modern age of combat. James somersaulted through a maze of stabs and slashes and rolled to a stop, donning a quality sword and rudimentary shield in the process. James thought back to the training he received from Charon about hand-to-hand combat. The ghoul was ruthless in his training and held back no bunches. But Charon had trained him well, James's natural advanced agility once expedited the speed granted to him by Charon's training. Then the additional combat training he receieved from other Great War veterans, mostly from the rehabilitated in Big MT also helped. But his experience in street fighting can only be credited to his time in the Pitt. The countless hours James spent in the streets busting skulls was the only thing that granted him every advantage in the arena.

James shot past another fighter's defense and stabbed his sword through his chest before whipping around to smash his shield on the last woman standing. The shield broke on impact and also appeared to shatter the woman's neck as she rolled backwards into a messy pile. James dropped the sword and panted as he glanced at the bodies. 10 more fighters dead. He raised his arms challengingly.

"Who's next?!" He roared, and answered with approval. Cait clapped and motioned for her crew to begin cleaning the arena.

"Now where did you learn to fight like that?" Cait inquired.

"I get around." James replied as he caught a bottle of purified water that Marie tossed to him.

"Holy crap, you're massacring them." Marie said, grimacing at the pools of blood. "And are all these scars real?" she asked as she began poking at the numerous scars on James's injured and sore body.

"Ow! ow! " James winced as Marie poked and poked. "Stop that!" he grabbed her hands.

"Well, I can't you're exactly helping business, but you sure made me a lot o' caps today. You still think you can take on the big guy?" Cait asked. She eyed James up and down like a piece of candy but in her eyes, James could tell she was genuinely worried.

"I need to finish this today, so yeah." James replied as he rubbed his sore arm. Marie continued poking his back while he talked, irritating him more.

"Okay, but you asked for it." Cait shrugged before walking off the stage. She locked eyes with James once more before locking the gate.

"What was that about?" Marie asked, looking up at James. James laughed but also shrugged. Marie walked off as the arena began to shake.

"Now, here's a treat, ladies and gentlemen!" Cait shouted. "We haven't seen the Grand Champion himself in two years, because no one's had the balls to face him, but now, it's time to welcome-" James stared into the pit and stared into the glowing yellow eyes glaring back at him.

"It's time to welcome, Sergeant Schultz!" Cait roared. The Deathclaw was lifted into the spotlight in chains. Scars littered its hide and a muzzle served onto to piss it off.

"Oh shit." James muttered as the Deathclaw easily broke the chains and tore off its muzzle. The bits of metal flew everywhere, pelting James's exposed torso. "Ow! Hey!"

The Deathclaw drew its claws and then grabbed James. James lifted his legs up and managed to kick out one of the claws, loosening the Deathclaw's grip enough for James to wiggle out and fall to the ground. James grabbed a length of chain and swung it at the Deathclaw, distracting it. The nit roared and swung its tail at him, the impact catching him in his torso and flinging him is a huge 360 circle before throwing him against the side of the cage.

"James!" Marie shouted from the audience. James tried to crawl to his feet. The deathclaw approached and drew its claws. It kneeled and rubbed a horn against James and roared. James braced himself for the killing stroke but had to wait. He froze and slowly opened his eyes to find that the deathclaw's yellow, rage-filled eyes had cooled. Now it was docile.

"Oh shit, the psycho's run out!" Cait shouted. James stared closely at the deathclaw and noticed a small collar that ended fitting like a bracelet on the Deathclaw's wrist. James looked closely and found that it was a collar and was imprinted with the name: Spot. James looked up and studied the animal's hide and found a familiar brown pattern.

"Spot?" James asked softly and the deathclaw fell to its hands and shifted its head close to James, almost like a wolf bowing to a human. The deathclaw made a guttural sound that James recognized whenever Katherine talked to her pet deathclaw. "It's you. You've been here?"

The deathclaw moaned a reply not unlike Dogmeat's whines. James rubbed the deathclaw's horns. One was significantly shorter than the other, indicating that a horn had been broken off at some point. Also, spot's hide was littered with cuts and bullet scars.

"This isn't right." James muttered, rubbing Spot's snout. The cage door opened and three cage fighters entered the arena with stun batons.

"Wait!" Cait shouted after. "Carl, you don't want to do that."

"It's a deathclaw, Cait. A deathclaw that forfeited the fight. I lost me 1000 caps on the so-called 'Grand Champion'. Now, it's time to get my pound of flesh!" Carl rushed forward, activating the stun baton. The electricity apparently frightened Spot, as the deathclaw shrunk away from the sight.

"No!" James jumped in front of the attack and took the baton to head, electricity and all. All James could feel was pain jolting through his body, then he fell backwards and then darkness.


	70. Waking Up again

"So is there ever going to be a time where you don't get your ass beat and I have to check up on you to make sure you wake up okay?" a voice asked as James stared at the painting in front of him. It was of some old general riding the now-extinct animal known as the horse. James looked over at Nate, who sat in a red reclining chair next to a window with red curtains and white walls all around.

"I like what you've done with the place." James remarked, ignoring the question. He eyed the walls, the hospital actually looked cleaner the hallways of Vault 101. "Where are we?"

"Well, if you have to know, we brought over to the brand-new Wanderer Memorial Hospital located in Goodneighbor Estates." Nate replied. He leaned back in the chair, a black baseball had hid his eyes until this point. No doubt, he was also hiding his synth eyes under a pair of extra-tinted black aviator sunglasses.

"Goodneighbor Estates? Wow, i must've been hit real hard to be out for a trip that long." James commented. Nate shrugged.

"We used your truck, so it took no time at all." he replied, flicking the curtain aside to look out the window. "But you have been out for two days."

"Guess I needed the rest." James replied.

"How long are you going to spend sleeping?" Nate chuckled. "First three years, how long is it until you do something dumb enough to put you down for good?" James shrugged.

"Guess I got to find out the hard way."

"Right." Nate nodded while leaning forward. His hands were folded in each other as Nate stared down. He looked up and finally said.

"What were you doing in Crime Alley?" he asked. James looked at the window as the early morning light began to illuminate the room. People began moving about so honks and clattering metal began to fill the room with sound as well.

"I needed to find someone." James replied.

"Listen, man. I get it." Nate said. "We all need to find Katherine, but I sincerely doubt that Crime Alley is the place to find her. I may not have seen my wife, well ex-wife, in a long time but she never struck as the type of woman to even want to consider being in a place like that."

"Well, knowing her, I think we'd both agree she's full of surprises." James replied, locking eyes with Nate.

"Yeah," he sighed. "We do."

"Finding Kat is the endgame, but I never expected to find her there. I needed some street cred to get where I want." James replied, picking at the plastic tube in his arm.

"And how would go about doing that?"

"Well, I saw some flyers for becoming the Grand Champion of the Commonwealth and figured it'd be a good start." James replied.

"Hell yeah it is." A gruff, rocky voice croaked from the door. James looked over to find Hancock slinking in as Marie and his personal bodyguard Farhenheit flanked him. "I've been showing the kid around while you out. Even lent her the lease on your old place."

"It was a warehouse with all your stuff!" James protested. Hancock held his hands up defensively.

"I treat my friends right so I had it worked on and decked out during the days you were gone." Hancock replied in the same gruff tone. "Figured it'd be nice to make some coin on the Lone Wanderer House of the Commonwealth. Make a museum of your, uh, past deed and collectibles."

"Eh, that's a little creepy, Hancock." James remarked.

"Which is why I lent her the place while you two are in town." he replied. Marie looked up at the ghoul and smiled.

"Thanks. Hancock!" she said enthusiastically.

"Now about that street cred," Hancock said as he sauntered closer to the hospital bed. He pulled up and chair and sat in it, facing James. "You should've come straight to the man with most in these parts."

James shrugged. "Figured the title is more than enough for what I need." Hancock shook his head.

"Word's starting to get around that the Wanderer's back." Hancock said darkly. "It can be dangerous for the people associated with your, uh, organization."

"In what way?" James asked.

"The factions are starting to get restless." Nate pitched in. "Every faction was rich and powerful without you. The people bowed to their leaders. With you back, well, it's not hard to think that someone even more influential in these parts is sure make a return as well." James nodded.

"The real threat to some people's spheres of influence." Hancock nodded in agreement. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you're tough and all but once you're gone, you're gone. But Katherine? Her ideals stick, and I mean they really stick." James smiled and nodded as he thought of Katherine.

"I understand. Not a big picture guy."

"So, what were you doing by getting the Grand Champion title?" Nate resumed his questioning.

"I need the title to get into the Third Rail." James finally answered. Hancock seemed to be slightly offended.

"You know me, kid. Why do you need that title?" Hancock replied.

"If I come in, as one of 'the boys', they'll never let me in on what i want to hear and know. Like the new gangs. I have to be someone that's new and yet also fairly well known to be able to get around the Commonwealth underground." Hancock scoffed as he adjusted his position on the chair.

"I'm not saying it's easy, man but you sure you really want to do this alone?" he asked.

"I'm not doing it alone." James replied. MacCready walked in suddenly, tipping his hat specifically at Marie and Nate before walking up to Hancock.

"I'll be guiding him the whole way, Hancock." MacCready said reassuringly. "No need to worry."

"Yeah, it's only the Commonwealth's most dangerous man traveling side-by-side with its most powerful one." Hancock said, fixing his hat and smiling wickedly. "What the Hell could go wrong?" Nate leaned forward.

"Enclave won't be able to help you down there, James." he cautioned. "You know that right?"

"We really don't have any close assets in the underground? I thought I had the Enclave clear it a long time ago!"

"A lot can change in three years." Nate replied. "We have assets but they're deep undercover, so if you would prefer to ruin three years of work and sacrifice, be my guest, but don't expect to call in on any favors from the Intelligence Department anytime soon."

James frowned as he attempted to think of other means of protection while he would travel in the Commonwealth's most dangerous arena.

"What about the Pride?" James asked. Nate frowned.

"They're not currently deployed on any major engagements, you don't mean to tell me you plan on traveling with them, right?"

"Well, they'd have to be undercover." James returned. "So no power armor."

"No energy weapons. Don't want the dwellers there to get all frisky." Hancock pitched in.

"We're going to need someone to set us up with espionage-level equipment then." Nate agreed rubbing his chin. MacCready smiled.

"We already know a guy, don't we Hancock?"

James waved his hand up to block the bright light shining in his face.

"You do know we're in broad daylight right, Tom?" James asked the man scrutinizing James's face with a magnifying glass and a flashlight attached to his head.

"Yeah, but, man. You sure you're not a synth?" Tinker Tom asked as he changed the angle at which he studied James.

"I think I'm pretty sure, Tom." James replied, trying to hide his annoyance. "I just need the kit, Tom. Nothing else." Tinker Tom however, continued to study James very carefully as if memorizing every detail.

"Hmm, either way, it's hard to believe you're still alive." Tinker Tom said nonchalantly while he left James still on the medical bench. James threw his jacket back on as Tom moved to the other side of his brand-new Goodneighbor workshop.

"Thanks Tom." James managed to say as he fixed his jacket, Pip-Boy, hair, etc.

"Oh, no problem, James." Tinker Tom said as he flurried past various workstations and past piles of unfinished contraptions. James eyed them all as he watched Tinker Tom fly by, making something.

"Y'know, I mean, it's a great honor to be helping out the former Railroad's best agent in its history!" Tinker Tom grinned as he threw together some kind of device and threw on James's lap. James studied it while Tinker Tom carefully slipped off James's jacket for the third time.

"You need to stop doing that." James said as he studied the device.

"Sorry." Tinker Tom said casually as he began to stitch some kind of plastic fabric into his jacket. "While I work on your jacket, lemme give you the run-down on the transporter there." James flipped the machine around and found a trigger. It was a gun.

"That's the Transporter Gun, idea is to use the Institute's teleporter to move stuff around for cheap. But never could get it working on things that are alive and things bigger than a suit of power armor."

"You're telling me I can teleport power armor wherever I want?" James asked, excitedly.

"Well," Tinker Tom pondered. "Technically yes." He waved a wrench at James as he switched stations with the jacket.

"All you have to do is to get the Transporter to remember where your power armor is and once you aim and pull the trigger, the armor will come to you." Tinker Tom said as he flipped a blast shield over his face and began soldering something onto the jacket.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." James said as he stashed the gun in his backpack. Tinker Tom returned with James's last intact leather jacket until next month's shipment arrived.

"I tried to keep the logo intact but it's a bit faded." Tinker Tom said as he handed James's Tunnel Snakes jacket to him. James held the jacket gingerly before putting it back on. "I've changed a few things, it's been upgraded with a brand-new experimental ballistic weave that's been inspired by the Mark-IV variant, Enclave power armor."

"And where did you get the plans to the Mark IV that's still under development, as Arcade tells me?" James asked, but not serious. TInker Tom thought for a moment before answering.

"I did design most of it, so technically the plans came from me!" he returned enthusiastically. James nodded with approval before standing to his feet. Thanks to Tinker Tom he felt like a secret agent from old prewar holotapes. He was decked out in the latest ballistic weave for all his clothes. Jeans, combat boots, grey t-shirt, and his jacket all had it. While his Enclave-inspired combat gear consisted of a right shoulder pad, but not a left for some reason, kneepads and a right ballistic gauntlet since his left had the Pip-Boy.

"Man, I feel like some kind of superhero, dressed like for war while also walking through the street." James joked.

"A walk alone these streets can still get you shanked, Mr. James." Tinker Tom reminded.

"That's not what I hear about the Commonwealth these days, Tom." James said as he zipped his jacket up halfway. "How do I look?"

"Good enough, Mr. James." Tinker Tom replied with a smile. "Would you like bag with that?"

James rolled his eyes and waved as he exited the store.

"So boss," a voice said ahead of him, James looked up to find all members of the Pride, Nate, Marie, and MacCready standing before him equipping similar gear and paraphenalia. "Ready to head into crime country?"

James shrugged as he walked slowly down the steps. He carefully observed the now-clean streets of Goodneighbor. People walked by in suits, clean suits, not even the dirty, patched suits that Triggermen wore. These people looked important, they checked their watches, fixed their neckties. Some even took strolls along the road with strollers and babies. The place was completely different to the Goodneighbor that ruled James's memories.

"Quite a place, huh?" Hancock's gravelly voice filled James's ears. James turned to find the ghoul in a new immaculate version of his John Hancock outfit.

"New threads?" James asked. Hancock laughed and raised his arms as if showing off the entire neighborhood.

"New city!" Hancock cackled. "I'm a new man. We really turned this place around."

"Without sacrificing your ideologies of a society that is entirely free to do what they want?" James asked.

"There has always only been one rule in Goodneighbor: Remember who's in charge. And so long as they remember that, things always work out." Hancock said simply. James watched a Triggerman in the background. He carried a submachinegun but was dressed in a pressed tux. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"And the others find this new setting and ideological makeup to be satisfactory?" James asked. He noticed that none of the drifters and transients that used to grave Goodneighbor's streets walked around in the streets anymore. It was as if they all disappeared.

"Well, for the most part, yeah. It was work for me or work for Whitechapel Charlie." Hancock admitted. "You'll see what I mean when you're down there." James nodded as he slipped on his backpack. "Good luck down there." Hancock said as James waved the group forward into the Third Rail. "You're gonna need it."


	71. Journey to Track City

"Get down!" Glade roared as he lifted his rocket launcher and fired a flurry of rockets into the tunnel. James covered his head as rubble rained down from above.

"I thought Charlie said these tunnels were safe!" James shouted over the explosions at Nate who ducked behind a pile of cinderblocks.

"They are!" Nate shouted back. He lifted his head and watched his baseball cap shot off ihs head. "Shit!" Nate muttered as he loaded a 40mm round into his grenade launcher. James raised his carbine up over his head and squeezed off a few rounds. Glade tossed the launcher aside and leapt behind cover next to James.

"I'm all out of rockets, boss!" Glade shouted over the gunfire as he drew his laser rifle. James looked around and watched as the Pride return fire from their pinned positions at an unknown enemy. MacCready ducked as an explosion ripped a column apart and threw rubble and shrapnel all throughout the tunnel.

Suddenly the gunfire stopped as James's attention returned to the firefight. The Pride sat motionless as they scanned for enemies marching through the dust and smoke. MacCready crawled over towards James.

"I guess they stopped shooting." he whispered. James reloaded his carbine with a fresh magazine and aimed it down the tunnel.

"Any ideas as to why?" James whispered back. MacCready shrugged.

"Whitechapel Charlie owns these tunnels, anything that can turn a profit is moved through here. It could be drugs, weapons, ferals,-" James gave MacCready a look.

"Ferals?" James asked, disgusted.

"Hey, man. I don't judge." MacCready replied, holding his hands up. Suddenly the gunfire resumed but was directed at an enemy in a different direction. James stood and watched as dark figures began to rush through the smoke.

"Targets approachin!" Dusk shouted as the Pride and all associated resumed fire as well. The bodies flew down and lay motionless but more continued through the smoke. A man nearly passed James, but was stopped when James stuck his leg out to trip the man. The man turned on the ground and James planted his boot on the man's chest.

He pointed his carbine at the man's neck.

"Name!" James growled. "Who do you work for?" He noticed a familiar white crosshair on the man's uniform.

"Ta- Tal- Talon Company!" The man whimpered. "We need to get out of here! They're coming!" James was confused.

"What? Who's coming?!" James asked. Screams began to echo across the tunnel as the gunfire in the distance began to fade away. Subtle growls replaced them.

"Ferals…." Nate whispered, grabbing a flare from his belt. "In a tunnel."

"Oh shit." James muttered. In the moment that his guard was let down the man reached for James's gun and Kodiak slammed a sledgehammer into the man's face.

"I don't think he'll get up from that one." Kodiak said as he scraped the hammer against the wall. James nodded his thanks and stepped off the man.

Nate tore open the flare and the red flash momentarily blinded James. Nate tossed it forward and the smoke suddenly emitted a dull red glow. James readied his carbine while the rest of the Pride readied their own weapons. Suddenly the first pair of red eyes stared back at the team. Then another. Then two. Then six. Then ten, and then the whole tunnel had eyes.

A man materialized from the smoke and the eyes, crawling. James started forward, but Nate held out an arm, stopping him. The man's legs were missing, they appeared to have been torn or gnawed off.

"Run!" The man howled, sparking a huge resonating roar from the massive amount of ghouls.

"We need to get out of here!" James shouted in hopes of his voice reaching the rest of the Pride. He started backwards. The first ghoul blundered forward, three bullets put it down. Then three materialized from the smoke and another Pride member gunned it down. Then six ran out, quickly joined but another four.

James squeezed a spray off rounds in the ghouls general area as he began to quicken his pace backwards.

"Fucking run!" MacCready yelped as the ghouls whizzing out of the smoke became more and more numerous.

James's quick strides backwards soon evolved into a dead sprint as he attempted to evade the feral horde chasing them. At one point, he matched pace with Nat.e

"I thought you told me that ferals are mostly out of the Commonwealth!" James panted as he ran.

"That's what I thought! But lately Deacon's been forwarding reports about some kind of breach in Tunnel Security somewhere in the Glowing Sea! Guess this is what that meant!" Nate shouted as he sprinted as well. Good thing the tailored clothing was light, this enabled the Pride to outpace the horde and reach a spot where they were far enough to regroup.

James slowed himself to a stop and then looked around. All members were accounted for.

"Okay, Arcade." James muttered as he patted his pockets for the new gadget. "This better work." Nate saw what James was doing and began searching his as well. James produced it from his pants pocket and lobbed the device in front of him as the ghouls' growls grew closer and closer. A dramatic blue explosion occured as his restored Experimental Command suit materialized in front of him.

The suit teleported in piece by piece, always preluded by an electric ripple. Suddenly the suit clanged into the ground as the device had compelted its work and James watched as the suit graft itself onto him. The suit had slightly changed since James last wore it, it now approached as if it was liquid which forced James to pause as the helmet folded over his head.

James watched darkness as muffle gunshots and screams pounded the outside of the suit. Suddenly a dull green interface materialized before his eyes with the words: Welcome Home, Colonel Autumn.

"Welcome home, Supreme Commander." Eden's voice filled James's head.

"Whoa-ho!" James laughed as the visuals began to dissolve the blackness. "This is cool!" James found himself surrounded by ghouls as they attempted to tear at his suit. Suddenly a blue square appeared in the right hand corner of James's view.

"Ah, James." Arcade said, the screen clearly depicted Arcade in the middle of some kind of research back at the Mobile Crawler.

"Arcade!" James smiled. The blows from the ghouls did not hurt at all as James stood still. He felt the force of the blows slightly graze his skin, but never any pain. "What did you do to my suit?"

"I kind of took the liberty of adding a modifications to it." Arcade smiled as he fixed his glasses. "The list is actually quite extensive. It's more like I created a whole new suit of power armor."

James flexed his fingers as the ghouls continued to attack him.

"I don't feel anything." James said, completely distracted. Outside, the Pride fought close-quarters combat with their own upgraded suits but just a glance at them told James that they were still lightyears behind the technology incorporated into his command suit.

"We had quite a few people upgrade it. Say hello to Jarnbjorn." Arcade said triumphantly. The armor clanked as the ghouls attempted to break through its skin like plating.

"Jarnbjorn? Like the Norse axe?" James asked as he finally decided to move. Just the action of moving his arm resulted in the armor moving with enough strength to fling off three feral ghouls.

"Commander, stay still!" Ash's voice rang from the background as blue and green rounds whizzed past James's standing form. James flexed his fingers.

"We wanted to call it Mjolnir, like Thor's hammer, but it turns out that quite a few mediums use it to depict weapons and armor, so we went with something just as good." Arcade explained as James started punching and kicking ghouls off his body.

"Cool." James mumbled as he began to observe his suit. It oozed around him like some metallic liquid.

"We took inspiration with the first experimental command suit and based this new design off of Hale's own nanosuit." Arcade began. "It wasn't easy getting the plans but after countless suits based on trial and error, we eventually got it just right." James heard the armor clink and glow red and suddenly "sensed" a ghoul about to tackle him from behind. The armor reacted, causing James to duck under it, forcing the ghoul to tackle another.

"It was tough getting it to work like this, we wanted to recreate a symbiote-like armor. One that would essentially graft to you permanently." Arcade said, pushing up his glasses with the last statement like it was something to be proud of.

"Wait, permanently?!" James asked as he choked a feral and headbutted another. His left hand squeezed the trigger and ghoul bodies began to fall.

"They're thinning out!" Nate's voice boomed over all other noises, no doubt the result of some of his synth enhancements. Suddenly a roar echoed throughout the tunnel creating pause amonst the fighters. The armor began clicking and beeping and suddenly James felt like he was seeing further into the tunnel.

"Okay, what's going on with my vision right now?" James asked as he performed what he felt to be his vision zooming into the dark recesses of the tunnel and highlighting a large creature in the smoke.

"Oh the armor, once grafted, connects to your nervous system, in a sense, the armor is you!" Arcade said excited. James blasted the last ghoul off his shoulders.

"Why didn't you ask me before applying this to the suit?!" James asked as suddenly the large figure charged through the horde of ghouls.

"Deathclaw!" Nate shouted. James raised his carbine only to find the deathclaw destroying the feral horde.

"Don't tell me-" James began.

"That's the deathclaw we found wandering the Boston Commons. We figured it could be of some use to the Lyons Pride and fitted it with some ballistic gear and a headset to recieve orders." Arcade announced.

"Spot can receive orders?" James asked.

"Actually yes, it turns out he was one of the released Enclave batch of Deathclaws from a long time ago. Descendent of the intelligent ones it seems so he understands human speech, even if he can't speak it." Arcade said. James nodded as the Deathclaw tore a ghoul in half with its claws while using its tail to slam a line of them into the tunnel wall.

The Pride approached James from the rear and formed a firing line.

"Looks like Spot's arrived!" Kodiak said, relieved. James looked at the others. "Nice suit, boss." he added before walking forward and engaging the remaining ghouls.

"Arcade, I can take this off, right?" James asked. Suddenly the armor shrank and retracted, almost like a turtle retracting itself into its shell. The helmet peeled away and pulled under James's clothes. The entire armor followed suit until it manifested itself into James's right hand gauntlet, weaving itself into it as if alive.

"Theoretically, yes." Arcade answered, his disembodied voice responding from his gauntlet which somehow now transformed itself into a watch. "This armor is an intelligent suit, run by an A.I. much more intelligent than even Eden."

"You're kidding."

"Not about this I'm afraid." Eden cut into the conversation as James approached Spot. The destruction the Deathclaw caused was enormous. The tunnel was in ruins, any tracks that used to be operational were now town up with feral ghoul parts dotting the floor as if they too were dirt. Spot scratched his claws before eyeing James carefully with its one eye. James nodded his thanks and watched as the deathclaw slowly slink away back into the smoke.

"He's not gonna stay with us?" Glade asked aloud.

"No." Arcade answered. "He's a deathclaw, he'll do whatever he wants. But when you need help, he will know."

James nodded and turned back to the Pride, who were all now donning the Mk 4 Experimental suits that were a generation behind James's new command suit.

"I guess we have a deathclaw now." James joked as the soldiers began to advance down the tunnel they just retreated from.

"You're joking!" the bartender scoffed. "No way you guys escaped a horde. There have to be hundreds of those thigns romaing the tunnels these days. No way you escaped unscathed!" James smiled and gulped down his beer. He slammed the bottle down and sighed. Wiping his mouth with his right hand he felt his new watch twitch slightly and thought back to its abilities.

"You have no idea." James muttered as he dropped a few caps before turning away from the bar.

"Welcome to Track City!" an announcer shouted from the intercom. James approached a wooden railing and leaned on it only to see a huge cavern, most likely an old army underground storage facility now filled with wooden and crude metal structures. James recognized quite a few armaments in the houses below to recognize that a lot of raider gangs simply moved underground. James kept one hand near his sidearm. No one was going to get the drop on him.

"Scanning" a voice suddenly filled his head.

"What was that?" James asked.

"It's the armor." Arcade's disembodied voice answered. "It's learning and is now manifesting a personality."

"Okay, no, that's just creepy!" James protested.

"Located target. Butch, local gang leader, apprehended by local authorities." the voice said again. James was taken aback.

"Huh, would you look at that." James muttered. "Thanks, voice in my, uh, head?"

"You're welcome." the voice responded. "And call me Emily."

"Ok, cool…. Emily?" James responded but received nothing in return. James sighed and stepped away from the railing. He raised his watch to his his mouth. "All units in position?"

"In position." Ash responded. Good man, the rookie had definitely learned to fit in with the crew while James was out.

"Established crow's nest. I see the target. Locals are really roughin' him up." Dusk whispered, no doubt from the smuggled radio tower in the center of Track city. Colvin was supposed to be there with her, watching her back.

"Glade here. Kodiak and I have broken into the armory and acquired some explosives. Moving to target location."

"Remember, that is only for our worst-case scenario." James cautioned.

"This is Gallows, I'm in the building."

"Nate, you get the locals to support us?"

"Oh yeah, man. And you wouldn't believe who else decided to join the party!" Nate responded sounding very excited. James walked through a narrow road surrounded by street vendors.

"Charon Zero Risk Security is also backing me, I guess this Butch guy is a big deal."

"Oh you wouldn't believe it…" James growled as he approached the local "police station".

"Hey, boss." Dusk asked as James neared the police station. "This isn't the same Butch that we saved-" before Dusk could finish talking a man was suddenly through through the wooden doors of the station and a man in a trench coat and cowboy hat walked out.

"That's the second time I had to bail your stupid ass out!" the man in the coat, which James now realized was really a duster as he approached the scene. Onlookers began to join the crowd, surrounding the two men.

"Don't move." James whispered. "Too many people. Wait for my signa,." The man in the duster fixed his coat and pulled his sleeves up before approaching the man still on the floor. James recognized what looked to be a tunnel snakes jacket and suddenly he became even more disappointed than before.

"When are you going to learn, Butch?" the man asked, grabbing Butch from the floor and pulling him to his feet. Judging by Butch's grogginess and stumbling, he was drunk. "You don't mess with people just 'cause you have a merc team behind your back!"

Nate arrived with the so-called merc team and began to divert the crowd's attention.

"Start playing security, get these people out of here." James ordered into his watch as he approached Butch and his friend. James had his hand on his sidearm the entire time as the watch began to shift and suddenly disappeared under his clothes. "There a problem here?" James asked assertively, as if he were some kind of law enforcement. At least, whatever they had in raider central.

"Sorry sir." The duster man said without looking up at James. "My friend here is still sobering up." The man looked up and suddenly James recognized him as Harden Simms, Megaton Regulator.

"Harden?" James mumbled, overtaken by surprise. Harden's face lit up as if he had just received a brand-new plasma rifle.

"James Hwang!" Harden roared as if some kind of frat boy. He took off his hat to reveal his face and James immediately noticed how aged Harden had appeared. Last time they had met, Harden was nineteen, but now almost four years later, Harden was only 22 but even James could see that one of his eyes were going blind. Scars dotted Harden's face with a huge line starting from his upper right cheek ran down his face stopping at Harden's upper lip.

Harden clapped his hands together, threw off his leather gloves and shook James's hand violently. James smiled as he nodded at Nate to call off the strike.

"Harden, what are you doing here?" James almost gasped. Harden continued smiling and threw his hat back on.

"Oh man, it's good to see you." Harden said, ignoring James's question. "Here, why don't go over to the bar here. Sit down, we have a lot to talk about." James gave Harden a look as he was led by Harden to a seat.

"We do?" James asked cautiously, remembering the new scars that lined the young man's face. Harden sat next to James as Nate took up a position at the front of the bar. The Pride began circling in, surrounding the bar and the police station.

"How have you been, James?" Harden asked throwing up two fingers at the bartender as if that would signal the waiter to bring some drinks.

"I'll have a whiskey, thanks." James advised before turning back to Harden. "I've been good, I guess, Harden. What are you doing here?" James repeated, giving Harden a serious look. Finally Harden took the hint and nodded slowly.

"Well, it's a really long story." Harden said shyly. James nodded and gestured at Harden to continue as the waitor plopped a beer and a shot of whiskey between them. James nodded his thanks as Harden took off his hat once and began to play with it.

"I'm here with Butch acting as his personal bodyguard for Charon Zero Risk Secutity." Harden explained. "But that's a mouthful so most of us really call it Charon Securities."

"And what is that?" James asked thinking of his ghoul friend that went feral not too long ago.

"Well, after you left the Capital, things were going along okay, but then some of the larger settlements began to see Megaton and Rivet City as threats. Merc business went up as people began feuding against one another just based on the city they were from." Harden began, taking a sip of his beer. "And so crime went back up in the Wasteland, especially since the Brotherhood was making any patrols any more. So that's when Butch got to idea to start funding the Regulators."

"The law enforcement brigade?" James asked, thinking back to Lucas Simms public refusal to host the regulators in Megaton when James first moved there. "I thought only one branch was left active by 2277." James frowned.

"And there was still only one when you left against in '86" Harden confirmed. "But things were so bad that one branch wasn't enough. Soon, Talon Company got a hit order on the Regulator HQ and lobbed a mini-nuke into the building. Lot of good people died that day."

James frowned and shook his head as he thought of all his old friends in the building. The conversations they used to have late into the night talking about a peaceful Capital Wasteland. And then this is the end that they got.

"And what else?" James asked.

"So after the Regulators really went out of business, people started getting really nervous. Megaton, Rivet City, Arefu and Canterbury Commons publicly began to pool resources into developing a well-armed militia to defend the four settlements. A lot of smaller settlements really didn't like that idea and began to form their own." Harden took another sip of his beer while James took the whole shot of whiskey and waved for another. "So Butch figured the only way to calm things down a little was to have a third party force to take some of the hit. Based in Underworld, Jericho and Butch laid the foundation for a highly trained Security Force and named it after Charon. The rest is history."

James nodded as he watched a Charon Securities Officer walk in. He was a ghoul all right. The ghoul walked to back of the bar, sat in a couch, kicked his feet up and went straight to sleep.

"I take it that it's a very serious organization now." James nodded over at the officer in the couch.

"Oh you wouldn't believe, Butch and Jericho did a great job and even established few smaller securities companies dedicated to other tasks. Like safekeeping, protection, and more. They're really rolling in caps with their organization."

"Where did they get the caps to start this?" James asked. Harden thought long and hard about this before answering.

"I was always under the impression that you were funding the whole thing." Harden said simply. James frowned again and drank the shot and sighed.

"I wish I knew I was paying for something before the payment was made."

"Well, even so, you're making quite a bit of money now."

"I haven't seen a single cap come my way." James responded, slightly annoyed that his wealth was now being used to fund Butch's private army. Knowing Butch, the man was probably taking a large cut of the profits for himself. Butch suddenly walked into the bar and took a seat next to James, holding his head. James gave him a sly smile. "Rough day, huh?"

"Man, you would not believe it." Butch replied, not looking and apparently not recognizing James's voice. Luckily for Butch, James was in a good mood so he played along.

"I don't know, I think I've my fair share of bad days." James commented before looking back at Harden.

"So what's the situation in the Capital then?" James asked seriously as he waited for Butch to sober up. Harden scratched his head as he thought of his answer.

"I guess I'll have to start from the beginning then." Harden began. "When you first left, things were going great. People mostly kept to themselves, but we got along quite nicely. Then this new settlement at the Mall was established after routing the Super Mutants there. They called themselves the Great Empire."

"The Great Empire?" James asked. "What's that supposed to mean?" Harden shrugged.

"Never met any alive to tell you." Harden replied simply as he sipped his beer again. "Really they supposed to be this great fighting force because they began to claim more and more territory before they suddenly disappeared off the map."

"How was that possible?" James asked.

"Not sure, but I was one the Regulators present in the investigation. Dead ghouls in red coats with weird rifles all over the settlement, looked like a military camp had been established at the Mall and then there was the whole arms race between settlement alliances that I talked about."

"Right."

"But that's not the end of it. While everyone was getting ready for war, the Vault 101 Federation suddenly began to claim that Springvale belonged to the Vault Dwellers."

"I imagine Megaton residents took that kindly."

"As kindly as we could, really. Wasn't long before we started shooting at each other."

"Was there any kind of resolution?"

"Sort of, Megaton kind of lost the war." Harden replied. "Well, if you could call it a war."

"What do you mean?"

"The Vault Dwellers surrounded Megaton and besieged the city, we ran out of food after three months. The city had grown so big that we were housing over a thousand people, you see." Harden then gulped down the rest of his beer. "Lot of good people died from starvation that year. Then we gave up. Well, Megaton did, I never surrendered."

"What happened?" James asked, observing an extremely dark look on Harden's face. Harden stared straight forward as he continued his story.

"My dad was kind of the city's last hope." Harden began. "He delivered letters, food, ammunition. Everything he could do to help, he did it. Some dweller at the Fed's leadership caught on and posted a bounty on my dad. And one day, while I was fighting off the next wave of invaders, someone or some group of people beat my dad, tortured him and then hung him right by the city square. They used the tail of the bomb to hang him."

"My God," James gasped. "Harden, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Harden muttered. "That night, Stockholm, Walter, Billy, and a few other good guys went over to the Fed's Command tents and then crucified their entire leadership."

"Crucified? How?"

"I've heard stories of some guy out West nailing people to old telephone poles, figured I'd give the bastards the same privilege. Sorry, James, but I had to borrow your old Railway Rifle to do it. There were just so many people that needed punishing…"

"Harden, I know it must have been hard for you." James said. He put his hand on Harden's shoulder in an attempt to show sympathy. "You don't have to continue if you don't want to."

"Nah, man. It's better if I shared. After that, the Feds just swept across the Capital, there was just no stopping them. Even the merc companies started taking sides as selling contracts exclusively to one side. Butch made the call to side with Rivet City, figuring the largest gun in the Capital would bring the most caps. He was right, but he didn't know the Feds would take everything else."

"So what happened?"

"The guys and I who wiped out the leadership were offered spots in the Fed military order. The Overseer herself invited us to Vault 101 for residency, but we refused. We were Regulators, man. We don't switch sides like that."

"So then we met up with another detachment of Regulators at Arefu and began to hunt down Fed patrols, trade caravans, settlers, anyone and anything that would've made a dent towards stopping the Fed advance. We weren't enough. Our little band became known across the Capital Wasteland as the Punishers. Then we lost Stockholm, Billy became blind when a mini-nuke went off in a spy's house in Arefu. He was captured and I never saw him again. Same blast nearly took my vision too, but luckily, I wasn't facing the damn thing." Harden sighed.

"Things weren't easy. But they sure did get a lot harder. Rivet City had the Jefferson Memorial and news was that the Enclave was returning. People sure were scared but that didn't stop the Feds. They kept charging the memorial but kept getting cut down by the security there. Then the Enclave retook the Mall and the Washington monument. We were kinda rooting for you guys at that point. Figured that Enclave would be better than some Vault Dwelling asshole ruling over us, I guess. No offense." James waved the comment aside as Harden continued.

"Eventually, Talon Company purchased exclusive rights to hunt down the Punishers, then we started losing more people. Soon, it was down to five. Then we made an envoy to the Republic of Dave, to get some caps going our way for defending the remaining free sites in the Capital Wasteland. Sure did get blindsided when Dave decided to rat us out to the Feds. Then I got taken, split apart from my men. While we were on our way back to Vault 101, some Charon Security guys sprang me and my men. Then Butch here turned us into operators to get some diplomatic immunity."

"It wasn't long after we recovered and started getting more men when Reilly's Rangers was overrun by mutants. I went to exfil them but only a handful of the Rangers made it out. I never knew what happened to Reilly or her Rangers but I heard they moved up north, somewhere around here actually."

"Anyways, soon after Ranger's HQ went under, so did Canterbury Commons and then like dominoes the rest fell until Rivet City was left. We were evacuating settlers from defeated settlements when the feds came. Luckily, Butch and the Enclave personnel on boards repurposed many of the jets onboard to act as turrets. We held off the feds long enough to evacuate most of the settlers. But we sure didn't get everyone." Harden grimaced as if the memory alone pained him. Then he turned to James.

"Then we hauled ass up here to find you. Just docked a little ways south just to be sure that we could come in safely." Harden said, smiling as he remembered that James was the man he was talking to now. "We need you back, James. The Lone Wanderer is the only one that can save us."

James was speechless. He had left the Capital Wasteland in what he thought to be good hands only to find that they were ready to destroy themselves all along. All his hard work and resources spent in protecting the people only made them vulnerable to corruption which led to settlement after settlement being conquered. Was there any point in the violence? Was this really the actions supported and pushed forward by Amata, his childhood friend? James stared at Harden and mentally memorized the battle-hardened young man that sat in front of him. The life this kid must have known…. James felt terrible and then thought back to the Commonwealth.

Was the Commonwealth fated to run the same course? Would factions tear the city back into destruction and wasteland? Does war really never change?

"James Hwang!" Butch said suddenly, falling off his stool. James glared at the man, on his back on the floor, seemingly trying to crawl away from James.

"Butch." James said carefully and nodded.

"Boss, the locals are getting restless." Nate's voice filled James's ears.

"Alright, Butch." James said as he stood from his barstool. "Time to go."


	72. Enclave Production Analysis I

James sat fingers crossed opposite Butch in the metal interrogation room. A single yellow lamp hung and dangled over them. Butch twiddled with his thumbs and nervously sat in silence. James glared at Butch and looked down at the report that Arcade had delivered based on scout reports of the Capital Wasteland. Multiple manila folders labeled as various ongoing operations lined the length of the table. James's watch shifted as he leaned back in his chair to read the first document.

"What are you doing here, Butch?" James asked suddenly. Butch was surprised and seemed to have been shocked into silence.

"Well, uh, I was planning on expanding my business up this way, figured I'd check it out and scope out the competition." Butch explained. James nodded as he flipped the page of the report.

"And what about this Charon Zero Risk Security force I hear about?" James asked.

"Well, Jericho and I came up with the idea of having a merc force that all held contracts like Charon's. Figured some people would pay some pretty caps for a fighter half as good as Charon." Butch said excitedly, but was disappointed by James's skepticism.

"Charon's contract? You started that again?" James asked, making it clear he was disgusted.

"Hey, we took in nobodies and homeless people. We couldn't pay them and they couldn't pay us for what we were offering. So they voluntarily accepted the contract for room and board. They earn their own caps to spend on whatever they want. We just take small administrative fee to cover company costs." Butch responded defensively.

"Where did you get the caps to pay for this?" James asked. Butch twitched at the question.

"Please don't be mad, man." Butch began delicately. "But I may have borrowed a bit from your slush fund to set this up." James made no response and showed no emotion at Butch's claim. He only sighed and threw down the folder.

"How much?" James asked. Butch scratched his head as he thought.

"I think a million?" he replied.

"A million caps?! What the Hell were you paying for?!" James roared at Butch, which caused the lesser man to shrink in his seat.

"Well, we had to get new uniforms, weapons, armor, logos, and a small marketing campaign!" Butch whimpered in reply. "I swear I paid it all back!"

"How will I know?!"

"I sent word through the Enclave Space Station guys I saw in the Rivet City bar before we took off."

"Hmm. I better not be missing a single cap, Butch." James replied, softening his tone but trying to stay stern. Hiding how he really felt was always an issue with James. Butch suddenly regained his composure and slicked his hair back. "What are you doing here?"

"We came here to find you." Butch replied. "I mean, it was surprising to see all the security the Commonwealth has so we stuck with the underground and tried to find you that way, but all we heard about was some Sole Survivor?"

"Hmm. Well you found me, now what?" James replied.

"Well it's time go home, man!" Butch laughed. "Listen, Amata's gone crazy, like I always knew she would. She created this whole empire on top of the ruins of everything you fixed about the Capital, we gotta show her who's boss!"

"First, Butch, I don't run a gang, nor am I gang leader. Second, I have obligations to the people here. Promises I need to keep." James replied, clearly disappointing Butch who slumped back into his chair.

"Yeah, I heard something about that. Ever since the Enclave changed and was now the good guys, I knew something was different." Butch sighed. "But I've changed too, I want to pledge Charon Security to the services of the Enclave. Faster we finish with the Commonwealth, the faster we get to go home." James crossed his arms. This wasn't the Butch he remembered. Thought Butch was wearing his old Tunnel Snakes Jacket and Vault suit combo, he seemed different. The same overly confident man was still here, but the smug looks and the attitude were gone. Just like Harden, something had happened in the war that changed Butch just as dynamically as it did Harden.

"It's not that simple now, Butch." James warned. "I don't know how long it will take to finish up here." Butch sighed and nodded.

"I knew you'd say that, that's why I ordered Rivet City to dock near the old airport tomorrow morning. Figured we'd make ourselves known and start settling. The people don't exactly want to spend all their lives out at sea." Butch relented a sad smile. "I just wish it didn't have to go that way."

"Me too, Butch. I'll send word along the right channels and keep Enclave outposts in the Capital. Hopefully, I might be able to pay our old home a visit one of these days."

"Just promise me that when you do, I get to go too." Butch requested. James smiled.

"Deal."

"Well that went well." Nate said as James stepped out of the interrogation room.

"You don't know the half of it, that guy used to be my high school bully!" James laughed. A few of the other officers nearby laughed as well. James grabbed a steaming cup of coffee and began to walk down the hall of the Mobile Crawler.

"So a moving country, a floating country, now you're get a flying country?" Nate asked as the two walked down the hall and out onto the air stip.

"What are you talking about?" James asked as he sipped his coffee. He opened the pressure down and into the open air. Suddenly the wind blew his cap off his head as the Prydwyn II activated her engines. Rivet City in the background of the Boston Airport tooted its horn and fired a burst from its cannons to mimic a military salute. "You forgot about my spaceship too."

"Yeah, who could forget about that one?" Nate asked as he held his arm up to the sky to block the sun. Nate's tie flicked and waved in the air as the Prydwyn II began its flight around the Airport.

"Whoever doesn't like us is about to get two more reasons to hate us!" Nate laughed as the airship successfully docked in its old BRotherhood station. James smiled and nodded in approval as he looked out at the airport and found a huge rebuilt concrete paradise. Well, paradise if you have thing for military bases that is.

Danse's Brotherhood established a whole beachhead with its resources and the lack of living space after the Prydwyn went down. They used the wreckage to form a gargantuan base slash city that was not unlike the Citadel. James took another sip of his coffee as he noticed vertibirds and P-80s flying around in circles for practice. On the ground were Brotherhood and Enclave soldiers running the track, performing drills, target practice, etc. Like Nate said, the Enclave really had built a country.

But James frowned. _It's a country based on war._ He thought to himself as he drank more of his coffee. Arcade joined the two spectators and handed James an earpiece.

"Courtesy of Eden." Arcade said as James put the earpiece on. "Based on experimental Pre-War tech we finally got a portable radio working for you and our operators."

"I thought I wouldn't need to do much else while Emily is grafted into my body!" James joked.

"I'm not grafted, I'm networking with your neural makeup!" Emily chimed in.

"We need to talk about certain projects."

"Why, do they funding or something?'

"Not at all." Arcade responded, waving the comment aside as if it were absurd. "We just figured you ought to start knowing about certain upgrades we feel are necessary for the organization."

"Which are?" James asked, eyeing Arcade carefully.

"Don't worry, we have been working with the Brotherhood to ensure that passes their ethical guidelines." Arcade said as if that would comfort James. "We have successfully built the world's first new aircraft since the Pre-War era. I would like to introduce to you the P-91!" Arcade said, waving his hands in the air as three planes shot past James's head at lightning speed.

"I couldn't even see them!" James replied, realizing that it was only Emily's visual processing that allowed him to see the planes with some degree of detail. "And while this is cool, I do not appreciate being turned into a cyborg without my permission!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Arcade laughed as he continued his presentation on planes. A blueprint of the plan materialized in front of James.

"Scan complete." Emily said in James's head. James eyed the plane carefully, realizing that it was much sleeker than the Pre War P-80 model. The plane also appeared not to run on propeller power as the previous model did."

"How does it move without propellers?" James asked. Arcade smiled.

"Institute Propulsion technology. We reverse engineered their reactor and managed to create a energy not unlike that from a pulse grenade. Using that idea, we essentially created an engine that uses that concept and technology, mounted it onto a much more aerodynamically air frame and then let the baby fly!" Arcade said as the P-91 planes circled around once more.

"I'll give them this, they're fast!" Nate applauded.

"If they're so fast, what are their weapons like?" James wondered aloud. The blueprint focused on the weapons to reveal a stockpile of missiles but more importantly, a gauss cannon.

"We have some anti-Power Armor missiles on board, but more importantly is the twin-barrel gauss cannon on board." Arcade said casually. "After realizing how much faster lasers could travel using Institute's refinements on the old design, we had their top scientists do the same with a gauss rifle and the results were spectacular. Mounting the cannons on the P-91 mean a single strafe will be enough to wipe out an entire detachment of soldiers! It's quite fascinating isn't it?"

"And here I thought you used to be pacifist." James joked.

"Used to be, is the important part of the phrase." Arcade returned. "Anyways, the P-91 fleet is due for delivery within the next two days which the Prydwyn II has been designed specifically to support and stock. In addition to your air power, a new model of the vertibirds have been improved upon once again from the Addams '79 model variant. In what we now call the Addams '90, three variants are available."

James noticed that the vertibirds were all visibly different now as well. And true to his words, there were three distinct designs. One resembled the older model but was now colored black and sturdier looking. One featured no open doors, colored completely in gen-metal and featured huge and varying guns on the aircraft's sides and on the wings. This variant was by far the slowest moving, but featured six rotors. The last was a four rotored vertibird that appeared to move at a speed between the other two variants but seemed to only carry heavy equipment.

"All three are the most advanced models to date?" James asked as a heavy vertibird flew over him.

"Yup. our air force is also probably the most advanced in the world, not including our assets in space." Arcade boasted, he seemed to be proud with his work.

"Huh, and what about ground vehicles?" James asked. Arcade waved his arm to a car.

"Straight out of Colorado Springs, is the imported Plains Passer, the 2094 model that we currently have exclusive rights to." Arcade said beaming with pride and joy.

"Hey don't tell me-"

"That we designed it? Well, yes, yes we did." Arcade finished. "Hale's companies assemble it, but one of our subsidiaries designs it and mails it over for production and with orders."

"Wow, we're really importing a lot from Hale these days." James commented as he finished his cup of coffee.

"And he imports a lot from us these days too." Arcade continued. "Well, that's the bulk of the materials I wanted to show you. There's not much you can improve on guns. You like the old-fashioned type, so the best I can do is tell you that we have recovered the plans to manufacture the M1911 pistol you cherish so much."

"Really?!" James asked. "Great. Make it standard issue then." James smiled as he placed his hand over his father's last gift to him. Now everyone is going to get it too.

"There's not really much I can tell about the Capital Wasteland, however." Arcade suddenly said, souring James's mood. "We have maintained a foothold, but the resistance is very heavy set, we abandoned the old Megaton listening post just to make sure that the Mall remains under our control but after being surrounded by superior numbers that is fortifying positions all around the Mall, well, the troops are getting restless."

"And Project Purity?" James asked. "What about the Jefferson Memorial site?"

"The Enclave has a strong presence there. We have constructed special helipads just for easy access for support Vertibirds, thanks to heavy recruitment efforts in the settlements around the Commonwealth and even our small holdings in New York, we have more than enough volunteers to man the Jefferson Memorial and Addams Air Force Base."

"Good, make sure to ready a vertibird for me. Once I find Katherine, I will make a special trip to the Capital. The troops are going to need it."

"Are you sure you don't want to focus your efforts on the Commonwealth, sir?" Nate asked cautiously.

"There's not much more I can do for the Commonwealth, Nate. Besides get the Enclave act as a formal faction in the eyes of their government, I don't think I can really do anything to change the political situation. I mean look at it, Hancock, Deacon, Danse, and Preston all used to follow Katherine and I on all our adventures through the Commonwealth back in the day. Now? They're too busy to even watch the Prydwyn II take flight. I don't blame them, of course, but can't you see that things have changed for the better?"

"Are you sure that's what really happening?" Nate asked. "Or is it just what you want to happen?"

James walked down the steps to Butch's quarters. He opened the door to find Butch playing with his daughter before noticing James.

"Oh, hey James." Butch said. James nodded but said nothing. "I'll be back, sweetheart, ok?" Butch said in a playful tone before walking out of the room.

"I heard there's a gang running around as the Tunnel Snakes, I didn't want to ask before because you were being recorded but is that you?" James asked quietly. Butch shook his head.

"Sorry, pal." Butch admitted. "That life has been over for me since we lost Ashlee on the way up thanks to my arrogance and charming attitude." he chuckled but looked longingly at the door. "Kate's all I have left, man."

"It's fine, Butch. Take whatever you need, I already had Emily give you the clearance. Stay here if you want, or move into one of my places in a settlement. I don't mind. But first, while you were staying at Track City, you ever hear of a woman named Katherine?"

"Katherine? You know her?" Butch asked, judging from his expression, Butch did know her.

"Yeah, where is she?"

"Well, I can't be sure now, but we last met at Track City. Mentioned something about heading home." Butch replied simply. James smiled as he realized what he should have a long time ago.

"Alright, Emily. Get a vertibird ready. It's time to go home."

Katherine sighed as she made her last step over the hill. Dogmeat panted besides her, excited to start a new day as the sun rose in the distance. The view was that of the hill overlooking Sanctuary Hills. Katherine had just exited the old Vault. She rubbed Dogmeat's ears as she listened to the commotion of vendors getting ready for the day and she smiled.

"Let's go pal." she said.


	73. Old Friend

James sat arms crossed in the Concord church next to the Concord Museum of Freedom. A banner hung low in the front of the church reading: "Congratulations Sigma Academy Graduates!"

Marie had graduated Sigma Academy and was deemed ready to serve the Enclave or Brotherhood, pending her choice of course. According to a brief chat with Danse and Nate, both organizations were ecstatic at her scores and were ready to leap over mountains just to get her accepted.

"We've never had a candidate with this much potential!" Danse exclaimed, actually sounding excited in the first time since James recruited the man into Lyons' Brotherhood.

"It's ultimately her choice, but I can see about reserving a spot in the Lyons Pride just for her, boss." Nate said proudly before the ceremony began. All of the Lyons Pride attended the ceremony, minus their armors of course, this was a social event after all.

"Marie Hwang!" the principal announced. James was shocked to hear that she had adopted his last name. Nate leaned over and whispered.

"While you were gone, she learned about the Pitt. When asked, she started using your last name." he said. "She told me it was 'cause she never had a last name and the Enclave documents were asking about one, so she panicked and jotted it down."

"Huh." James muttered in response as Marie accepted the diploma from the principal and walked off stage. As she did, James started clapping. The Pride was much more enthusiastic, hooting and shouting compliments as she gracefully walked down the steps to join her fellow graduates.

"And that's the last of our graduates, I hope you all had a great time with us. And now to complete the ceremony, let me welcome a very special guest from our former Madam President!" the principal announced. A gasp resonated within the room as Katherine entered from a side door while wearing a purple sequin dress. James acted surprised, but he knew she'd be here. Marie was definitely, surprised, gasping with the rest of the crowd and holding her hand over her mouth as if to block the gaping hole of surprise that enveloped her face.

"Good Afternoon, everyone." Katherine said softly into the microphone. The gasps and whispers faded away as Katherine started talking. "I'm glad you all made it here today and even more happy to welcome the next generation of leaders, workers, builders into the arms of our society. No matter what they choose to do, the best we can offer to them is our unconditional love and support for their choices in continuing their lives. I wish you graduates the best of luck out there in the Wasteland. I hope you all have a great rest of this day!" she said excitedly before backing away from the microphone.

The crowd clapped as Katherine stepped off the stage and began to greet the graduates individually, shaking hands and exchanging greetings. Nate leaned over again.

"What a gal, huh?" he whispered. "Back for not even a day and she's acting all presidential."

James chuckled as he admired her from afar. "You really know how to pick 'em, Nate."

"Yeah, I sure did." Nate agreed but said nothing else. They sat still and silent as parents shuffled out to meet the great and now-legendary Sole Survivor of Vault 111.

"So when did you start using my last name?" James asked as he walked Marie back to Sanctuary Hills. They had just arrived in the outskirts of Concord and were five minutes out from the Red Rocket gas station.

"Well, about three years ago when I was saved." she responded. She fiddled with her own Pip-Boy. James smiled at the memory of receiving his own Pip-Boy on his 10th birthday. "While they were processing me, they had me fill out a form. It asked for a last name, I didn't know any so I put yours."

"Huh, is that so?" James asked as Marie suddenly figured out how to activate the Pip-Boy. The screen lit up with green code as it beeped into life. "Looks like you have one of the old models."

"Yeah, it's not as cool as Miss Katherine's." Marie said, disappointedly. As James opened his mouth to respond, Marie looked up at him and spoke first. "But I've heard that the older models are sturdier and have longer lifespans so I guess I still like it anyways!"

James smiled as he observed the girl he had helped raise suddenly seem to transform into a wastelander of her own. She was an adult now. At least by Commonwealth standards. James looked down and realized that meant she could also leave now, if she chose too. If she joined up with either the Enclave or the Brotherhood, they'd put her through rigorous training and eventually induction into their respective military structures. Then, to make things worst, she'd probably volunteer for combat deployments and may face unknown horrors out in the Borderlands. James shook his head at the idea and noticed that he could see Red Rocket at the top of the hill they were walking.

"So what are you going to now, young lady?" James asked. Marie thought for a moment before responding.

"I don't really know." she responded. "Most of my friends are just following their results from the Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test, but I didn't really place on that."

"Wait, Generalized occupational what?"

"It's like a test. We fill it out and our responses determine what role we are best suited to to benefit society!"

"That sounds an awful lot like the G.O.A.T." James replied, skeptical of whatever test the schools were using now.

"G.O.A.T.? That sounds stupid."

"Well, that's what I took!"

"Really? What was you job?"

"I got Marriage Counselor. Apparently even back then, they thought I was pretty charming!" James joked.

"Marriage Counselor? Oh man, I hate think of how many couples you split apart." Marie said, shaking her head.

"Hey!" James protested. "I did my job well!"

"Well, the thing with my results, though, I don't have a job."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I didn't place in anything specific. I took the correctly and everything but it turned out that I was naturally so well-rounded that I could choose to do whatever I wanted."

"Huh, so what's that mean for you then?"

"Well, Nate told me I could do whatever wanted. And that I was always welcome to join the Lyons Pride as backup."

"Wow, the Lyons Pride as backup?!" James said, impressed. "Guess he really did lower standards to get more members." He said, speculating.

"I did not!" Nate protested. James looked up and realized that they had arrived at Red Rocket Gas station, which incidentally was now a functional diner. Apparently, one of Nate's friends hit it hard in Jamaica Plains and returned without a single cap to his name. Nate rented out the place and helped him set up a diner to get back on his feet. Though it did come at an expense to James's workshop space. "We've only had three members pass the Induction tests in three years!"

"So does that mean, you guys will still take me?" Marie asked. Nate smiled and looked at her.

"Only if you pass, little lady." Nate responded. "Here, Shaun and the rest of the guys are in the garage. Why don't you work on that pet project of yours?"

"Okay!" Marie responded, throwing down her backpack at James's leg and ran off to join her friends.

"She's friends with Shaun?" James asked. "Your boy?" Nate beamed proudly at the suggestion.

"Yup, they really hit it off in school. She didn't seem to like you dissapearance all that much, but when Shaun first transferred to the Academy, they really seemed to help each other grow up a little."

"Hmm, he better not get any weird ideas." James cautioned Nate, who laughed the threat off.

"I still don't think she's that type of girl yet, James." A woman's voice cut into the two mens' conversation. James calmly plucked up Marie's bag and turned to find that Katherine had just arrived at the gas station with Dogmeat at her heel.

"Katherine." James greeted.

"James." she nodded in response, also appearing amused, but not entirely happy.

"Hey, honey." Nate said awkwardly. Guess things weren't so great between them too.

"Where have you been?" James asked. Katherine appeared to have ignored Nate altogether as she walked forward.

"Let's grab a drink first, guys." she said, turning to show that she held a handful of caps. "I'll buy" then turned back and continued walking. James reached for his belt and realized that his pouch of caps was missing.

"Oh you, son of a-!"

"I see you've been busy." Katherine commented as she swirled her cup of coffee in her mug. She was referring to the growth in settlements and playing a direct role in the economic growth that the entire region had seen in the past years.

"Well, that wasn't really me." James admitted as he finished his own cup. "Arcade ran the fort while I was out."

"Out?" Katherine asked. James nodded.

"Father stuck me in some twisted Anchorage simulation." James said, recalling the events leading up to America's invasion of China and the memories he was forced to live through in the simulation. "Said it had to do with my survival or something."

"Mm." Katherine nodded. "He said the same thing to me after I left."

"How long did it take to complete it?" James asked. "Deacon recently filed a report that revealed that each member forced into the sim was told of other participants but each person experienced a different version of the same scenario simulation."

"I think it took about a year." Katherine said, trying to recall. She just finished her cup of coffee and raised her cup for another. "I didn't make it all the way to China. Would have been interesting to see it, after seeing what it did to my home."

"Well, I wouldn't want to ever have to see it again." James replied. "I don't have good memories of the place, even if they were faked." He said recalling the countless sleepless nights spent wandering the Gobi Desert.

"How long were you in for?" Katherine asked? James thought about his last memory in the simulation. He had just stormed the Communist Government's Headquarters but was stopped short of having prevented the launch of the first wave of nukes directed at America.

"I just got out two weeks ago." James replied, not actually entirely sure how long he had been awake. He assumed it had been two weeks. "What have you been doing for two years? These people were really lost without a leader."

"I was, just wandering. Figured, I deserved some time off." she responded quietly. James understood immediately the feeling she talked about. But it didn't make it right that she led people to believe that she was just missing for two years. James kept his mouth shut and sipped his second cup of coffee silently as the radio switched stations. Katherine sighed, catching James's attention. "I also spent most of my time tracking down Maxson's Outcasts."

"What?" James asked, surprised to even hear Maxson's name.

"Maxson survived the Battle at Boston Airport, I've confirmed it myself." Katherine said. "He took Fort Hagen a while ago, but one day abandoned it for some reason." There were a bunch of destroyed robots at the site so I investigated and found loads of Pre-War tech that had been salvaged and repaired. Tanks, actual tanks from my time."

"Tanks?!" James asked, imagining the deafening firepower that Maxson would possess if he ever found a way to deploy them. "Were they functional?"

"I don't know. I didn't stop to check." Katherine replied. "But I soon found out that the reason Maxson abandonned the site was simply because he moved it."

"Where?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I tracked him out of the Commonwealth and further West towards Chicago."

"What's a Chicago?" James asked, Katherine ignored the statement and continued.

"Turns out there were airships, James. Huge and operational. I don't know how or even how many they have but Maxson apparently usurped authority of the local garrison."

"You know what, I think I recall Elder Lyons mentioning something about a garrison around that area. I thought he was kidding though, since he said that the East Coast was isolated." James commented. Katherine nodded and continued.

"Apparently Maxson started some kind of Civil War with the local garrison and won. He battled some guy called the Warrior or the descendent of the Warrior or something and then won the respect of all involved. Now he's rebuilding and he's planning on coming back in force." Katherine said, finishing her cup of coffee before dropping a few caps on the counter. She stood from her stool and gestured for Dogmeat to follow her.

"That's why you came back." James said, following her as she left the gas station. Their discussion had taken up the rest of the day. The sun was already setting. Katherine nodded as she turned to answer James. "You weren't sure if the Commonwealth was ready."

"They're not." she replied. "Thanks to Father, I guess I learned something about war that my husband never told me about." James frowned as he was reminded of how even her son had betrayed her. "It is absolute Hell. I don't want to see it happen to these people. Not after they believe that they finally accomplished peace."

"Well, one could argue that it's just relatively peaceful." James interjected but Katherine ignored him again.

"They're not ready, James. The only one close enough to match Maxson's Outcasts is the Enclave. But even you aren't ready for what I've seen." she said, darkly. She had clearly seen something of Maxson's that spooked her. Something about her journey alone into unknown territory and the simulation changed Katherine. James frowned as he attempted to think of all the possible factors but gave up when he stood himself up straight and threw his hands in his pockets.

"It doesn't matter if I'm ready." he said confidently. He paced slowly towards Katherine as he spoke. "We have you back, and that's all we need to fix things here." James smiled at Katherine, who seemed surprised by the absolute confidence of the man who was easily the most powerful man in the Commonwealth.

"I'm really not sure you stand a chance, James." Katherine said quietly. He now stood a breath's distance away from her. He could see that she was definitely worried about something that she wasn't yet willing to disclose.

"I never did." he replied softly. "And that's why I have to try. How long do we have?"

"I don't know." James nodded, satisfied with the answer. He turned and eyed Nate, leaning against the bar counter, watching them from the window while pretending that his newspaper interested him. "Nate, we have some planning to do!" James called out at his friend.

James yawned as he stepped out of the briefing room in the Mobile Crawler. Above him was the night sky. He looked up and admired the dark night and the stars that glowed brightly. He sighed as a cold breeze passed before walking forward and leaned over the rail. He watched as Rivet City began turning off its lights in the distance, likely to prevent attracting Mirelurks. He sighed as he thought of all the ridiculous responsibilities now pouring onto him from various directions. It was almost as if he just couldn't catch a break. The door opened behind, causing James to turn to see who had decided to join him on the deck.

Katherine stood with Marie and Dogmeat flanking her. She had a coat on, and she had changed her clothes to a more familiar look.

"Why the vault suit?" James asked jokingly. Katherine gave him a look that even he could see in the dark.

"Couldn't find my other clothes." She replied curtly and joined James on the rail.

"Things are really going to get busy around here." James said aloud, Not directing his comment to any one particular person.

"James," Marie said suddenly, causing him to look over at her. "I decided that I don't want to join the Enclave." James smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Great!" he said excitedly. "I was hoping you'd enjoy a quieter life anyways, what are you going to do?" She didn't reply for a while.

"I've decided that I'm going to follow you." she said suddenly. James gave her a curious look.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"Teach me to be like you." she replied confidently.

"You know what kind of life I lead, right?" he asked her carefully. There was a time where he would have denied her on the spot. That's what his dad would have done.

"You have a chance to a better life, son!" James Sr. had told him while expressing his frustration with James Jr. back when they had arrived at Project Purity. They had gotten into an argument about why even continue to develop the filtration system since no one seemed to care. James Jr. was angered by the lack of help and the condition of the building. He was confident that there was no way that they would be able to get it to work. "I'm not giving up on you!" James Sr. had said while James tried to walk out on the project. He grabbed James's shoulder, turned him around and looked James square in the eye. "This was all for you, son."

"James, something's wrong!" Dr. Li's voice interrupted their heated discussion as a pipe exploded with steam.

"Dammit!" James Sr. mumbled as he released his son and ran towards the steam. "We'll talk later, get to the maintenance tunnel and wait for my instructions!" he shouted. James nodded and ran towards the tunnel to help. And the rest was history.

James stared Marie square in the eyes the same way his father stared at him all those years ago and was disappointed to find that she was absolutely serious. He nodded and then reached for his pistol. He pulled his father's treasured M1911 and handed it to Marie. She hesitated to grab it, but James did not move his eyes aways from her.

"This is yours now." James said quietly. "Take care of it and it will take care of you." Marie's fingers closed around the handle of the pistol as she took it gingerly from James's hand. Her hands went to work as she checked the sights, checked the safety and the condition of the magazine before inserting the gun into her own newly fashioned leather thigh holster.

"Thank you, James." she said. James nodded and took a knee to tell her a few things.

"The life I lead isn't fun." he began. "It's not an adventure. It's surviving. We do what we have to in order to survive, do you understand?" he asked. Marie nodded.

"When we are out there you will do everything I tell you without protest, do you understand?" she nodded.

"Be patient, you'll learn everything I have to teach you, but only when you're ready." he said before standing. Marie nodded and seemed satisfied with James's attempt to convince her of the seriousness of his life. His father once tried to do the same and stop James from pursuing a life of wandering. It didn't work, so James figured he might try supporting Marie instead. Katherine seemed to have no problems with this as she didn't move from her place at the rail and only looked at Marie's pistol with great interest.

"Isn't that you father's pistol?" Katherine asked. James nodded as he returned to his post. "Why did you give it to her?"

"She needs a good gun to start. Experience comes later." he responded simply.

"You're not being very specific."

"That gun was the only weapon I had after nearly being captured at Project Purity. My father slipped it to Dr. Li before entering the Purification Chamber with Colonel Autumn. Using the pistol alone, I managed to get everyone out of ghoul-infested sewers with only 9 rounds. I like to think my dad watched over me while I used the pistol."

"And now you hope he'll watch over her." James didn't respond as the door opened once more. James looked over to reveal a man in a white tux striding forward. "Hmm, I don't recall inviting you over."

"Well, I guess that's one way to treat a friend." Nathan Hale said as he stood next to James, leaning back onto the railing and facing towards the way he came.

"If you're what I call a friend, then I guess you're one Hell of a weird one." James replied. Hale chuckled and reached into his coat. He produced a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and soon puffed away at his first cigarette for the night.

"I suppose that's fair." Hale replied.

"How long have you been out for? I saw you in the sim, that means you were caught too." James said. Hale chuckled again and scratched at his stubble.

"I'd say about a few months?" he replied. "I'm not really sure. I got out because I was tortured to death in some barn near Shanghai. I didn't wake up the sanest person around."

"Well, you look great for a torture survivor." James joked.

"Hey, I did get shot in the head,"

"And live to tell the tale. You never stop talking about that." James finished as he laughed as well.

"So you're the glorified mailman." Katherine said, greeting Hale. She pushed her hand out and Hale took it and gave it a firm shake.

"And you're the frozen ice princess." he said, as a puff of smoke exited his mouth. "Good to meet you."

"How's our friend, Mr. Young doing?" James asked. Recalling that last he heard, the former President George Young was being held in an NCR prison.

"Apparently Arcade and Boone got his ass out and moved him into Jamaica Plains. They set up a casino as a front for his laboratory and he makes up weapons designs in return." Hale replied.

"Wait, so the casino isn't yours?" James asked. Hale shook his head.

"You really think I'd want to make a casino here?" Hale asked, in shock. "It'd be way easier overbilling the idiots here for renovations and infrastructure repair. Hell, with my train it'd be way faster to bring materials and workers from Colorado Springs. I'd make a killing out there!"

"I guess that is true." James admitted. "So I take it, I have Mr. Young to thank for upgrading the Enclave in my absence?"

"Mostly, Arcade helped a little too." Hale replied, taking a long puff from his cigarette. Another breeze passed the group. Marie was practicing aiming her pistol at a nearby target with some help from Nate, who had just exited the briefing room.

"So what are you doing here?" James asked. Hale puffed on his cigarette once more.

"I have some people claiming to be from Vault 101 request an audience with you." Hale said simply. James glared at Hale as he imagined the possibilities of that happening.

"Why would they go to you?" James asked.

"Most likely because Jamaica Plains is the only bit of neutral real estate left in the Commonwealth. Factions are gearing up for war, it's only natural they'll head for the place with the least to lose."

"Hmm. Where are they now?"

"Still at my place. I'm here to take you since I wanted to make sure they'd be absolutely safe."

"Why? Concerned for my health?" James asked jokingly.

"I'm concerned for theirs. Their uniforms made them look like military so I wanted to be certain that they wouldn't start a fight that they'll lose on my property."

"Hmm, ever the altruist."

"And also, I've been hearing some weird rumors float around the casino. But I don't want to say anything conclusive until I you get to Jamaica Plains."

"Fine then." James responded. "Nate, get us a vertibird, we're headed for Jamaica Plains!"


	74. The Mystery of Jamaica Plains!

James took one step in the fog-ridden casino town and was already sick of it. Being the gambling hub of the Commonwealth meant the sector had the loosest set of laws and principles around. Because of a lack of some sort of official legal system, the place was riddled with transients, drug deals, gang members and the like. And Hale seemed to love it.

"Ah, home sweet home." Hale said as he stepped off the vertibird and threw a scarf over his face. James gave him a sour look as Hale passed by in his tux.

"Don't you have standards? I mean, come on, the streets smell like piss!" James complained.

"The whole Commonwealth used to smell like that." Hale replied simply. James stopped knowing that Hale had brought up a good point. Dogmeat rushed off the vertibird and ran ahead, apparently loving the fog.

"So this is Jamaica Plains." Marie said without adding any more commentary. James sensed that she felt similarly about the setting. Katherine walked behind the group silently as if she was studying every more. James found it odd that she seemed distant and changed in her two year journey to Chicago and back. He shrugged it off as the group neared the entrance of the casino.

James threw the door open, expecting a floor full of gambling machines and people running around and throwing caps. But it was empty. Hale's personal guard stood in attention by a door. There were a lot of casino machines but they appeared to be out of use.

"I thought this was supposed to be a casino." James said, inspecting a condemned machine.

"It's all a front. I moved all the gambling to the train." Hale responded as he led the way through the guarded door. "Easier for me that way to keep people like this."

James entered the room and found a group of six people all dressed in Vault-Tec colors. The extensive reports supplied to him by the Switchboard, Danse's Brotherhood, the Minutemen, and even some internal Enclave Intelligence reports had enabled James to become very familiar with faction colors. These were men and women of the Vault-Tec Federation.

"Well, I guess we're lucky we're on neutral soil then." James muttered as he stepped inside. Hale closed the door, leaving only himself, James and Katherine in the room. A blue pulse field appeared to have been fitted along the walls of the room to prevent the people from trying to run. They also appeared to have given up hope of escape as they were all seated or sleeping.

"How long have you kept them here?" James asked.

"Long enough for them to want to talk." Hale replied. James approached the cell. "They've been fed regularly, supplied water and bathroom trips all throughout the day. I tried to offer certain amenities, but they were interested in talking to you and you only."

"Hmm," James grunted in acknowledgment as he inspected the uniforms. They were brand-new. Padded and obviously having armor weaved into the cloth fabric in the manner that Vault 101 Federation troops like to do. Apparently these two factions were helping one another as James spotted a clear yellow 101 logo on the baseball cap of a sleeping man in the corner.

"Looks like they are from 101. Bring the one who was looking for me out." James ordered. Hale nodded and walked into the field. He must have had some kind of chip to allow him to do so as he walked through the field as if it were nonexistent.

"Why do you think they were looking for you?" Katherine asked.

"Not sure. But if they are from Vault 101, they're going to have a lot of answer for." James replied cynically.

"You're not going to torture them are you?" she asked, but not caring as she would have done before. This question sounded more like a formality.

"No. I don't want to have to resort to that." James replied. "Not today."

James took a seat behind a desk and flipped the lamp light on. The face illuminated turned out to be none other than Susie Mack.

"Susie Mack." James said in a pleasant tone. Katherine leaned the by the wall, arms crossed as she watched over the exchange like a hawk.

"James?" Susie asked, apparently not able to recognize him due to the darkness of the room. "Oh my God, James is it really you?"

"Yup." James replied. "It's really me. How have you been Susie?"

"I've been great, Amata and I have really got the Vault growing, we've been doing so much to help the people of the Capital Wasteland and-" Susie paused. "You've heard of what's been going on in the Capital Wasteland already, haven't you?"

James remained silent and allowed Susie to guess. The flight flashed on, waking the residents of the cell. Hale stepped away from the light switch and sat down next to James. Susie appeared to be intimidated by him as she flinched as Hale violently sat in the chair beside James.

"Why were you looking for me?" James asked suddenly, catching Susie off guard.

"We want you back, James." she replied simply.

"Why?"

"Amata never wanted you to leave." she said.

"And yet I was forced to leave anyways."

"She was sorry."

"I was still forced from my home." James said, visibly becoming angrier as he recalled the events that led to his expulsion for the second time from Vault 101. "I saved the Vault more times than I or any resident can count. Wally stole my room, desecrated my father's property. And I was forced to leave."

"We," Susie insisted. "were sorry."

"That's not how it happened, Susie." James replied softly. "Don't try to lie about it."

"Hey asshole!" a harsh voice called from the cell. James looked over slowly at the figure leaning on the field with his fists balled.

"Wally." James said through gritted teeth. "It is good to see you."

"We came here to offer you a place back in the Vault! Don't take it for granted! After everything you and dad did you're lucky that Amata still remembers you." Wally shouted. Susie looked away from her brother and back at James and sighed.

"Don't mind Wally, James." Susie said in a comforting tone. "He's only jealous that Amata never reciprocated his feelings."

"Is there a reason that I should care about his feelings getting hurt?" James asked.

"Amata never married, James. She's still been waiting for you." Susie said softly but seriously. "That's why we came to get you."

"Why should that affect in any way?" James responded.

"Because you have a son." James frowned and glared hard at Susie's face, trying to find any indication of her lying to his face.

"You're lyring." James muttered under his breath. "There's no way, it was only-"

"One night?" Susie asked, suddenly smiling. "Yeah, James. For some people that's all it takes."

James stared at her blankly as he thought of the events of his through the years.

"Why should I believe you?" James asked suddenly.

"You don't need to, James. I've done my job in coming here." Susie replied as if satisfied with her work. "Now what are you going to do, James?"

"That's not true." Hale suddenly interjected. Susie was alarmed at his interruption in what was a personal conversation. "I looked through their Pip-Boys and valuables. Their job is to scout out the Commonwealth and assist the Vault-Tec Federation in waging open war against the other factions."

"Wait, no, that's not true!" Susie protested. James looked at her with shame as he tried to determine if he still wanted to trust her or not.

"Put her back in the cell. Bring me the next person." James said quietly as Hale nodded and shuffled his way towards Susie and the cell.

The next person to sit before James was Wally Mack himself. The two glared at one another for a few minutes in silence as Hale lit up a cigarette and puffed away.

"It's been a long time since we last met, Wally." James blurted first.

"It's been 12 years." Wally replied gruffly.

"What? You miss me?" James said smugly. Wally exploded from his seat flipped over the table and grabbed James's collar. James had his pistol out aimed at Wally's groin. He showed no fear and was actually quite indifferent about the scuffle. Wally was infuriated for not seeing the move beforehand.

"You killed my dad." Wally growled.

"Only because he attacked me first." James replied while chambering a round. "Now let me go before you become as dickless as him too." he growled. Wally was furious but reluctantly let James go and sat back in his seat. Hale sighed as he flipped the desk over and flipped the cigarette aside.

"I know you draw fast kid but you could've done better than that!" Hale heckled.

"Shut up, man." James replied as he smoothed his jacket and resumed his seat. "I didn't want him to realize you had a grenade primed to go into the cell."

"What?" Wally asked, horrified. Hale shrugged as he plopped the grenade on the desk.

"Do you know who you're dealing with, son?" Hale asked as he reached into his tux and produced a 9mm pistol. Wally glared at Hale hard but said nothing. "You're dealing with three of the baddest people to ever wander the wasteland. You may be big in bad in the Capital Wasteland, but you really want to bet anything you've ever done is a match for anything the three of us have ever done alone?" Hale asked, almost growling.

"Three?" Wally was confused. He turned back to find that Katherine was loading a shotgun.

"Only in case of emergencies." Katherine said casually. James smiled. He still wasn't sure if that was a joke or her new normal behavior.

"Any smart person, would have their homework on us Wally." Hale said gruffly. "You claim to be smart. Taking over the Capital Wasteland with more advanced technology. I'm telling you right now, I know you Wally." Hale said, practically spitting in Wally's face. "And I got the world's best superpower: I'm rich." Wally's face contorted as he thought of possible responses. James realized that Hale was playing the bad cop role and that by getting close to Wally, Wally was bestowed with a front-row seat to the battle scars that Hale had faced in his time as a Courier.

"Alright, Wally. What are you here for?" James asked kindly, giving his old bully a smug smile.

"I wanted to make sure my sister was safe, coming up here and talking to you." Wally said, now suddenly timid and all bravado gone. "I did do my homework, I don't know who the other two are but I know you. I hated the idea of opening the Vault but once we did all we got were tourists want to learn about the Lone Wanderer. You have no idea how much that scared us."

"Scared you?" James asked.

"All of us. You were a legend. That means, you have enemies." Wally continued. "We needed to find a way to protect ourselves in case one day a bad guy comes in and decides to gun the people down just to get back at you."

"So you decided to take over the entire wasteland by force." James replied, making clear that he was disgusted with Vault's fascist behavior.

"It didn't start out like that. We were peaceful at first, diplomatic. But then people started fighting back, we needed a way to keep them in line. So we updated 101 Security measures and implemented it in participating settlements. Then people started moving in from other settlements but wanted their families in the settlements to be protected."

"We did that, we did everything they asked and then Megaton got angry. Threatened to invade. So we struck."

"By killing the town Sheriff?!" James spat.

"No, that wasn't us. Lucas Simms was a regular visitor of Vault 101 he always checked on your room after we gave him the tour. I personally found him to be a great guy, way better than you. But then he was murdered. And Megaton blamed. Why wouldn't we fight?"

James paused and realized that the issue, like any other was much more complicated that he first thought. He sighed and looked back up at Wally.

"Wally, we don't get along. I'm not going to pretend I like you. But I am sorry about your dad. And I'm sorry the wasteland was harsher than you think you deserve. But you have to get Amata to stop this. This militarization is getting people really worried." He glared at Wally to make it clear how serious the situation was. "So worried that they me to have to start dealing with it."

Wally nodded and headed back for the cell with Nathan.

The other members came and went. Freddie was glad to see James and they exchanged jokes and stories. Freddie was head of 101 Securities now though the Capital Wasteland was rough, the Vault-sponsored unification campaign really helped to reduce murders and overall crime. While he disagreed with James's belief that the settlements should adopt a more democratic system, Freddie generally got along with James and agreed that Commonwealth was shaping up to really become Pre-War Boston.

The last person to be interrogated was Christine Kendall, who James was surprised to see. While they didn't exactly get along, James always had a crush on her since he was 9 years old. He remembered being made fun of just because of that crush. Even Amata had gotten in on the heckling by the time James was sixteen.

"James." Christine said as she sat. "It's good to see you."

"I guess we've all gotten older, haven't we?" James joked. Christine hadn't changed at least in James's eyes and was still as beautiful as he remembered. She had grown out her hair though and kept it out of her eyes with a yellow headband.

"Oh shut up, you!" she complained, but also in a joking manner.

"So why are you guys up here?" James asked. Christine eyed her friends carefully but looked back at James in earnest.

"We're here to spy on the factions." she admitted. "We're meant to fold the Vault-Tec Federation into the Vault 101 Federation. Uniting two cities would be quite helpful in creating prosperous economies."

"Is that really the only reason you're here?" James asked. Christine seemed to have been a little hurt by the question. Her gaze softened as she looked up at James.

"I volunteered to get a chance to see you again." she admitted. James huffed and gave her a smile.

"What?" he asked. "The vault's prettiest girl looking for a reject like me?" James asked sarcastically. She rolled her eyes.

"I told you I don't hold any of that against you."

"You're the not only one who lives in a vault Christine." James replied. He stood from his seat. "Is there anything else I need to know?" he asked. Christine eyed her friends again. She slipped a piece of paper onto the desk.

James grabbed the paper and found it to be a note. It was instructions for a meeting to occur in two days. It was from Amata.

"So that's why." James said. "You guys must have really worked hard in order to make it up here in time. It's about a three month hike up from the Capital Wasteland!"

"We took Nadine's boat up here. She's waiting for us now as we speak." Christine said. "She's apparently very keen on seeing you too."

"What the Hell?" Hale asked, laughing.

"You are really popular with women, aren't you James?" Katherine asked, amused as well. James shrugged.

"Hey, I'm only human." James replied, laughing.

"Will you come with us, James?" Chrisitine asked, giving James a worried look. James could only respond with a smile.

"If I go back, things are going to have to change Christine." James said sadly. "I'm not going home to a dictatorship."

"Isn't that what the Enclave is?" she asked.

"Not anymore. I'll meet with Amata, but on my terms." James said. "You tell her, that I'll come when I intend to." Christine nodded slowly.

"Anything else you want me to tell her?" she asked.

"No."

"Weren't you already prepared to head to the Capital Wasteland?" Katherine as they waited in the lounge.

"I needed them to think I could come at any time I wanted." James responded as he drank his whiskey.

"You can though, right?" she asked. James nodded as he set down his cup.

"Yeah, I can." James sighed. He leaned back on the couch, taking in the soft fabric that felt that he melted into.

"Why do you want to go back?" Katherine inquired. James thought about the question for a bit.

"I'm not sure." James responded. "When I first came back, home was very different. Now after everything that has happened. I'm not sure if I'll recognize it again."

"Are you sure you're ready for this trip?" Katherine asked. James took a large gulp from the whiskey.

"Definitely not." he sighed.

"So Maxson's coming for the Commonwealth, this Amata is too. How many threats are you facing already, James?"

"Three."

"Three?"

"Maxon's Outcasts are coming from the West. Amata's Vault Dwellers look to come from the South. East is another faction I haven't pinned down yet. But I have no doubt that someone's coming from the seas." James replied darkly.

"The seas? You mean from Europe?" Katherine asked.

"I think so. Some settlers showed up in the Capital Wasteland and started taking people by force, enslaving them. I've never met them but reports always called the Great Empire."

"The Great Empire?"

"Yes. Soldiers that wore red, spoke funny accents and used weapons that are definitely unfamiliar to locals. They have to be from off continent."

"Huh, so three forces gunning for the Commonwealth it is." Katherine said raising her bottle of beer at James. James clinked his shot glass with her bottle and drank in silence. "Looks like you have quite the task ahead of you."

"Ahead of us, Kat. You're back. This is your show." James said softly as he looked at Katherine. She sighed.

"I don't want this responsibility James."

"Few people do." he admitted. "But the people look at you for help. You're the one they want. Not me. You have to be that person."

"I'm not the same girl I used to be, James." she admitted. "The simulation changed me."

"It changed everyone who went into it."

"No, I can fight now, but now I don't care about every life I take. I'm compromising the morals that made me who I used to be."

"Don't worry about that, Katherine. Deep down, your morals are yours. The ones that you don't and can't compromise are the ones that matter. So compromise where you can, and where can't, don't."

"Huh, great line." Katherine returned. "Come up with that by yourself?"

"No, heard it on a holotape."

"So apparently you have a son, James." Katherine said wickedly. He looked at her and knew she was ready to make fun of him for not settling down.

"You'd be surprised how many times I've heard of that rumor before." James said shamelessly as he poured himself another glass.

"You have more than one son?" she asked in shock. James gave her a look.

"Don't be like that." James said as he drank more of his beverage.

"I just can't believe that the Great Lone Wanderer is such a philanderer!" Katherine said, pretending to be amazed with him. "How many?" James coughed and nearly choked.

"Why?" he croaked.

"I'm curious." James frowned and thought about the question.

"I don't think this is a road either of us want to go down."

"I do." James sighed.

"None of these are confirmed, I've yet to see any proof.." James began. Katherine gave him a sour look. "I think four?"

"You have four kids?!"

"It's not we have protection or anything okay?!" James cried out in frustration. "They just happened and I left."

"You left?"

"I left. Like I always do."

"Wow you are the epitome of a scumbag father!" Katherine laughed. James frowned.

"I don't find it funny.."

Suddenly the door slammed open and Nate walked into the room with Hale.

"Vertibird's ready to go boss. Let's take the Prydwyn out for a ride!" Nate smiled. James nodded.

"Oh they have no idea what they're in for." James laughed as he stepped out into the light, flanked by some of his best friends.


	75. The Talk

James stepped onto the Prydwyn as it sailed away from the Capital Wasteland. Though he had just returned for the moment, it was already embroiled in a war. The first Enclave-Federation War. It was already declared and officiated. Though the main force was stationed in Boston, the Addams Garrison held over three hundred fully trained soldiers with over a thousand recruits stationed all throughout the Capital Wasteland. The advantage that the Enclave held was that all of the Enclave's best troops had been left at the Capital to engage i strike missions for when the main force could return. Despite the Federations's numbers and size, the Enclave held one large facility that was the matter of life and death for the Federation's settlements outside of the Vaults. The Enclave holds Project Purity.

"Are you sure leaving is the right thing to do?" Katherine asked. James didn't respond.

"The Commonwealth isn't safe either." James replied. "Amata is right, this isn't over."

"So what are you planning to do?" Katherine asked. "You can't fight multiple wars at the same time."

"I know, which is why we need to get the Commonwealth to get past their factional disputes." James answered. "The Commonwealth has been split into various warring factions. They are currently locked in a Cold War, each faction preparing for another to attack. That type of environment is not sustainable."

"So we need to have them get over their regional issues then." Katherine concluded.

"That's right." James agreed. "Though, personally I'm not entirely sure how we're going to go about doing that."

"Yeah, well. Since when was any of this ever easy?" she joked. The Prydwyn rocked slightly as it sailed through the wind. Adapted Institute and Alien technology served to help push the Prydwyn's limits as a flying vehicle as it rocketed above the ruins of the Old World.

"I wish I could've seen what this used to be like before the Great War." James muttered aloud. "It must have been beautiful."

"It was." Katherine agreed. "But not everything about the people was beautiful."

"What was it like?" James asked, turning his gaze to Katherine, when he was finally tired of staring at broken buildings and raging fires. "What was living in a country like?"

Katherine thought a for a moment and frowned as the words failed to come to her as she expected. She shrugged and turned to James. "I'm, uh, not exactly sure I can describe it."

"Was it really that great?" James asked, cocking an eyebrow as he turned to face her.

"No" she jabbed back, returning his sarcasm. She studied his face in the dark as she attempted to recall a good enough memory of her life before the bombs fell. "It's just that everything was normal to me. And now that it's gone, I have trouble thinking about those times as normal."

"So what does that have to do with you not being able to answer my question?" James asked.

"I guess, I'm trying to say that it's not really all that different from now really." Katherine concluded. "Why do you ask?"

James paused and thought carefully, forming his response. "Well, I guess I'm not so sure about that either."

"Didn't you use to hate the Enclave?"

"Yes."

"Why do you feel differently now?"

"I don't think I even like the Enclave even if I've tried bringing it back these past few years."

"Then what is the point to all this?" Katherine asked waving her hands around the ship that flew them at an incredible speed across great distances. "All the equipment, the technology, the policies, doesn't it ever get tiring?"

James shrugged, he turned his gaze at the mountain range below him and the small bits of light that James knew to be small settlements or campfires. It was quite the sight to see, the view of civilization surviving even after all the apparent destruction.

"I guess I didn't want to let people have to live the same life I did." he muttered.

"And that was?"

"Scavenging for supplies, looting people just to have enough ammunition for protection. Everything matters, each decision is life and death. I envy you in your Pre-War position. You could afford to take a lot of things for granted."

Katherine nodded slowly. "I guess I can't deny that." James smiled.

"No, I guess you can't."

"So is that really all to why you've decided to rebuild the organization that killed your father?"

James shook his head. "At first, I figured they'd be a means to an end. I just needed people to help me get what I wanted. Then I got back to Sanctuary and saw people rebuilding. But in their attempts to thrive, they were always being held back by the Wasteland. Starvation, Drought, Raiders, anything, really. I got sick of it." James looked back at Katherine as if that would emphasize his point. "I don't want people to suffer just to have the right to live." Katherine nodded, then paused before speaking.

"You can't control that." she said softly.

"Maybe not." James admitted. "But can it hurt to try?" he asked, almost innocently, as if he were a child trying to figure out a way to make his parents' lives easier.

"I guess not." Katherine shot him a small smile. The wind whistled by as the Prydwyn confidently rocketed through the skies. They passed many sights and scenes of cities ravaged by war and disuse. "So do you really think you're going to help the Enclave rebuild America? I heard that the Enclave is guilty of some pretty bad things."

"Yeah, but they didn't have me before." James said cockily. "And I think I'm a pretty great guy."

"Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?" she asked spurring his playful attitude regarding himself.

"I guess we'll just have to see what time decides to tell of me. You've heard of the Legend of the Lone Wanderer."

"Oh please, I bet half of that never happened."

"And how would you know?" James asked, chuckling. "You're not me."

Katherine laughed as well as the conversation naturally collapsed on itself. The two stood against the rail for a moment in silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the sleek whirring of Prydwyn airship technology and the wind around them.

"So how does Marie fit into this?" Katherine asked suddenly. The question surprised James, marking it as one of the few he didn't readily have an answer for. He stood straight from his previous relaxed position.

"Marie?" James asked, slightly confused.

"So you're rebuilding the Commonwealth. You've rebuilt the Enclave and you're in the middle of reforming it. How will Marie benefit from this?" Katherine elaborated. "While you've been under, I did a little digging. I know you've practically raised her from birth. And since you always used to wander alone, I want to know why and where Marie became so important to you."

James grunted in response, acknowledging Katherine's deductions while making it clear that it was a topic he was not comfortable with sharing. However, she continued to hold all the cards in the conversation as she continued to press the issue.

"C'mon James, don't make me have to strongarm you into talking to me about it. You know I used to be a lawyer, right?"

James frowned and looked up back at Katherine as he attempted to formulate a coherent answer.

"Don't tell me you're her father…." Katherine suggested.

"No!" James replied defensively. "She was born long before I met Ashur." James snapped. He thought for a moment before continuing. "The Pitt was a slave colony that Marie was raised in. When I first went in there I was hired to be the catalyst of a revolution and I jumpstarted it. Hell, I practically planned and pushed it into happening."

"And then?" Katherine asked. "What made you change your mind about the slaves?"

"They asked me to kidnap a little girl. I was young, I thought her parents were evil. But when I got there, it turned out they were just like any other parents."

"Except for the fact that they were running a slave colony, right?" Katherine asked accusingly. James brushed off the comment and continued.

"I couldn't bring myself to take her.' James said. "She was innocent, she didn't deserve to be blamed for everything the freedom fighters said her family was guilty of."

"So you decided to spare the family." Katherine guessed. James nodded. "And you helped suppress a revolution and keep a slaver society in power, am I correct?" James nodded once more. "And I assume there's more to this story?"

"Ashur's idea was to keep the Pitt in business and running on slaves until they used Marie's unique genes to develop a cure for the Trogs."

"Trogs?"

"Don't worry about it. However the slaves were naturally restless so I suggested that they all be freed." James said. "Ashur was initially apprehensive but I convinced him into doing it. The slaves had nowhere to go and ended working in the same place anyways. Though I paid most out of pocket."

"Where did you get the caps for that?"

"Even when I was young, I had a knack for convincing people to do stuff for me. Most of them were trade caravaners. But the Pitt was full of unused talent that I then used to help rebuild the city."

"I can't imagine the slavers really liked that idea."

"No, they didn't. They tried to stage a coup one time." James replied. "Let's just say I had a direct role in shutting that idea down and the slavers never stepped out of line ever again."

"And Marie fit into this picture how?"

"I was essentially the Pitt's Sheriff, well more accurately I was judge, jury, and executioner."

"Hmm, I imagine that power never went to your head."

"I'll admit I was harsh, but it was for the greater good."

"So you tell yourself."

"You want to talk or you want to listen? Pick one please." James said sarcastically. Katherine nodded and held her hands up defensively.

"With Ashur busy with rebuilding the Pitt and restructuring society. He was an absent father. And Marie's mom, well, she was so busy on curing the residents of the PItt of their diseases and cancers that she never spent much time with the kid either."

"So you took on that role too."

"Yeah, well it turned out that way. I was making my rounds one day when I found her and her bodyguards in the courtyard. The guards had been bribed to help the remaining revolutionaries kidnap Marie and take her God knows where. I didn't even think, I shot first. Everyone one there died. And in the middle of the crossfire was Marie. I picked her up and carried her inside before making it my personal job to kill the remaining revolutionaries."

"An extermination campaign." James nodded.

"And after a year in the Pitt, I was getting damn good at it too." James admitted darkly, his eyes clouded and lost as if reliving every hit during his time as the nightmarish overlord of the PItt. "Soon, she started following me as I made my rounds. People started fearing me more so it became safer too. Then it was only a matter of time before she began walking with me on all my jobs and then becoming a helper during some of them as well."

"And her parents just let her do that?"

"What's the point in stopping her?" James returned. "Besides, who'd do anything if I was there? It's not just what I'd do to the protect her but what I'd do after they even think of hurting her."

"You became protective of her. You became her Protector." James shrugged, slightly embarassed.

"Yeah, well, she deserved a good life. It's not her fault she's immune to every disease and germ the Wasteland has put out to kill people. So if it's not her fault, I'll make sure people regret trying to make it her fault."

"How noble of you."

"And that's what it turned out to be. Why do you ask?"

"Haven't you noticed already?"

"Noticed what?"

"The girl is rejecting her biological father, it's clear to me that she now sees you as more of a father than Ashur ever was."

"Well, that's not fair. Ashur-"

"Was an absent father, you said so yourself. He was a deadbeat dad and you took on that responsibility. She sees you as her father. The question is, what do you see yourself as on her life?"

James paused. "I never thought about it that way."

"I know you haven't. Everyone in the Commonwealth's been talking about it. Marie is very well known among the communities especially those with schools and academies. Everyone's been talking about how she's the Lone Wanderer's daughter. Where do you think that idea comes from?"

James didn't respond.

"So all I'm trying to do right now is to remind you that the Enclave and the fate of the Commonwealth is not your only burden to bear. You have a daughter to raise, whether you like it or not and whether she is your biological daughter or not. You have a responsibility. You have a hole in her heart to fill that has been empty in the three years that everyone thought you were dead. So when you make plans, they had better include her. Or you are going to lose her."

James stood silently, not denying any of Katherine's allegations. But also not acknowledging them either. He thought long and hard about what such implications and rumors would mean and how they would affect his ability as a leader. But then his whole mind silenced himself as the door slid open and Marie herself walked out. She had heard everything.


	76. Five Year Plan

James stroked his chin as the officers filed into the Rivet City briefing room. James watched them gather and mingle as he imagined the military officers and generals of the Old World did the same in the historic carrier that James had helped rebuild. He watched them sit as Arcade finally made his way into the room.

"You wanted to see me, James?" Arcade asked adjusting his glasses.

"Yes, I want an update on Commonwealth politics and anything of strategic value. I'm intend on setting the Five Year Plan of the Enclave now." James replied quickly. Arcade frowned as he flipped through a few pages on his clipboard.

"Out of curiosity, any specific reason for such a goal?" Arcade inquired. "Do you plan on leaving us anytime soon?"

"Just a feeling i have." James replied as Arcade took the stage.

"The tensions of the Commonwealth have reached a boiling point. Diamond City has essentially drawn a line against the Vault Tec Federation against the Federation's incursions on other faction territory. There have been numerous border indicidents between the Federation and many factions and it seems like Diamond City plans a preemptive strike with the Gunners against the Federation. Some factions have already jumped and taken sides whereas as others stayed neutral."

A slide change with a click as the a new image of the Commonwealth replaced the old image of Diamond City.

"Though the Council doesn't have much say into territorial disputes between settlements, many are attempting to rally in support of Diamond City. These are mostly made up of settlements who have attritioned countless settlers and citizens to the Vaults of the Federation. As a result, Diamond City has a sizable force ready to invade Vault 81. They hope to hold Vault 81 hostage and negotiate a deal with the Federation. However, intel from the DIA suggests that the Federation has something else up its sleeve. While intel is limited what is known is that Midas House has recently decided to ally itself with the Federation while Quincy is leaning towards Diamond City due to its own issues with Midas House. However, Deacon has suggested in various reports that Midas House has strong connections with the tribes of the Glowing Sea. While we have no idea what is going on there, it seems that the Giants face quite a few issues of their own as the new mutants from the West are apparently clashing with the local tribes in the area."

"Mutants fighting each other?" James asked.

"I know, it's another Black Mountain situation." Arcade replied before moving on. Another click signified the changing of the slide.

"Meanwhile, most of the factions remain hostile towards the Enclave. The arrival of Rivet City has seemed to comfirm old beliefs that the Enclave are here to invade and enslave the people of the Commonwealth. It appears that the Brotherhood's propaganda is still around even after Maxson left with his Outcasts."

Another slide. This time, true to Arcade's lead-in, Arthur Maxson himself graced the projection.

"Maxson. Not much is known after the Battle of Boston Airport but intel from KAtherine and local traders suggest that Maxson moved his band to Fort Hagen before suddenly dissapearing from the Commonwealth. Deacon has been trying to track him down but there simply isn't much on him anymore. If we are to believe what Katherine has told us, the Outcasts have moved to Chicago for the time being and are rebuilding their forces. We must stand ready to defend from such an invasion."

"Didn't the Enclave have an outpost in Chicago?" James wondered aloud.

"We did, but we lost contact." Arcade replied flipping over a page on his clipboard as a new slide projected a new image on the wall.

"P-91 construction and development have been a huge success. We've finally managed to develop a Post-War fighter that improves on the old design while cutting costs. We've also begun work on upgrading the arsenal of our troops as well." Arcade sighed and James realized that the man was finally done.

"Hearing that I've decided that we are to deploy into the Commonwealth. This time, ignore bordeers. Continue armed patrols along the entire fence around the Commonwealth but not I expect incursions into faction territory. Make it clear that we will enforce borders and prevent bloodshed from an interfaction war. At the same time, try to gather intel from the locals regarding the tensions from the various factions. Out goal is peace, but if a war starts the Enclave will have to get involved." James concluded. He looked out and studied the reactions of his officers. He realized this was the first graduating class of officers since Autumn was deposed. "Dismissed." James ordered and the officers shuffled out of the room.

"How inspiring." Arcade murmured before turning to James. "Now was there a specific reason for having to establish this order as a precedence? What do you intend to do?" he asked. James thought for a moment before looking at the back of the room where he saw Katherine and Marie stand in the back.

"I need to teach Marie how to survive." he replied softly.

"What?"

"I need to show her what I know." James repeated. "I'm not going to be around forever, Arcade."

"Yeah, well that sounds like a terribly short-sighted plan."

"My plans for the Commonwealth will conflict with my plans for Marie, Arcade. So I need to finish what I started with her first. I have responsibilities." Arcade sighed and let the clipboard fall from his sight.

"I agree, James. It's good that you have the foresight to think about this. But remember that these men and women need you too. You have responsibilities to everyone here. Don't forget that."

"You think I will?" James asked with a smile.

"I think you're going to get bored and abandon us actually."

"Okay," James winced. "I deserve that."

"This is not going to be easy." Arcade sighed. James's expression darkened as he ran scenarios through his head.

"No it isn't. If there is a factional war, the Minutemen are the first to deploy to keep the peace, but they will be overrun. And we will need to get involved."

"Not necessarily." Arcade interjected. "We could stay neutral."

"Not likely. The Enclave has already allied itself with various settlements. Not to mention that the Minutemen, Goodneighbor, the Brotherhood and the DIA already heavily rely on the Enclave. We're going to be forced into this conflict. Unless…"

"Unless?" Arcade cocked an eyebrow.

"Let's not think about that until we're ready." James finished with a fake smile. "I don't want to be the aggressor in any conflict." Arcade suddenly realized what James had meant and he fixed his glasses.

"Yes, of course. Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Arcade realized that James had been talking about a plan that he, Eden, Arcade, and Nate had formulated as a worst-case scenario backup plan for the Commonwealth. If democracy, peace and negotiations didn't work. The Enclave would force it to work. By invading every settlement in the Commonwealth. After having three years of unhindered growth and power, the Enclave was more than capable of leveling the ruins of the Commonwealth and rebuilding a new Boston over the old. So this being the worst case scenario, Arcade began to silent pray to whatever god, if any existed, that they would never have to cross that line.

James approached Marie and Katherine and stopped just short of them.

"You ready?" James asked.

"For what? Marie replied.

"To go."

"Ok."

The two began to walk out of the room and as Katherine prepared to follow a man rushed into the room. The commotion had caused James to pause as well as the man frantically whispered to Arcade resulting in snapping and angry gestures.

"What is it, Boone?" James asked, slightly disgruntled by the interruption.

"It's the Outcasts." Boone said, restraining some kind of anger that never seemed to relieve itself. "They've invaded NCR territory."

"You're kidding." James responded, his face, while not exactly becoming pale, demonstrated a degree of horror.

"No, I'm afraid not." a familiar voice echoed across the room. James looked and watched as Nathan Hale stepped into the room. Gone was his white tuxedo and pretentious walking cane. He was dressed to fight. The armor clinked and clanked as he stepped in and began to roll up the sleeves of his duster. The Ranger armor glistened in the room. It had been freshly polished. Axe stepped in behind him, wearing a similar but obviously more advanced version of the armor. "We're being recalled, James. And I don't know when's the next time we're going to see each other."

James nodded and reached into his pocket. He tossed an object across the room. Nathan caught it and inspected it. It was a Vault 101 lighter.

"Happy hunting." James said sternly. Hale nodded as he stuffed the lighter into his coat.

"It's going to be a tough fight. Apparently the entire Brotherhood's been mobilized on the West Coast to assist. The Outcasts are on their own this time." Hale said gruffly, the helmet did not help as it muffled his voice a bit.

"Make sure the NCR doesn't keep expanding with conquests. I know they've been itching to cross the Great Plains." James warned.

"Kimball knows what he's doing." Hale replied. "Well, he knows something. I'll try to talk to him but I promise nothing."

"You know the Enclave's waiting for him if he gets too close."

"You have no idea, Hwang." Hale replied. James was almost certainly grinning under his helmet. "Don't tread on the Bear."

"And don't piss me off." James grunted. Hale laughed as he motioned for Boone to leave. "Take a vertibird. It's on me."

"Huh, well I guess it's better than stealing one."

"Har har, get out of here before I change my mind."

Hale waved and walked out. James nodded before motioning for Katherine and Marie to follow him out the door and into the cool ocean breeze as they stepped onto the deck.


	77. Intensive Training

A shot rang out as birds flocked to the air into the cold dawn morning. Winter was coming. James shivered as he pulled his coat closer to his chest. He looked down the range with his binoculars and watched as a Ragstag attempt to lift its other head from the ground.

"One more." James whispered. He heard the subtle clank of a bolt retracting and heard the casing fly out of the chamber as the bolt slid back home. Another shot rang out and a spurt of blood later, the Ragstag was dead. James stood and aimed around with his own rifle.

"Okay, we're clear." James whispered once more. Marie stood from her shooting position and rushed forward. James smiled as he slung his rifle and hustled down the valley to catch up with her.

As James approached he watched as Marie expertly proceed with skinning and cutting choice portions of Ragstag as he laid them out over a handkerchief for later bagging. She worked fast as her fingers worked expertly with the blade to skin the slain animal.

"There you go, kidddo." James murmured proudly watching over her shoulder as she finally performed her first successful hunt. She wrapped the last pound of flesh in a knot as she sat back and sighed, wiping her forehead with her wrist. James chuckled and snatched the knotted bundles from the floor.

"How was that, James?" she asked cautiously. The last time she was too excited a Yao Guai wobbled to their position and forced them to abandon their catch.

"You did alright.' James admitted as he hefted all the meat and kept his beaming pride inside. Marie followed closely behind as they approached James's truck and began to load the meat inside.

"How long before it goes bad?" she asked. James gave Marie a face.

"You know the answer to that." he replied, slightly irritated. It had been a month since he had abandoned most of his principal duties and began to teach Marie the lessons of his life as a Wastelander. She caught on much faster than he anticipated and took his lessons with stride.

"So what's the next lesson?" Marie asked, hardly able to contain her excitement. She had read his Wasteland Survival Guide many times apparently and was interested in learning anything that he hadn't taught anybody yet. James gave her a curved, sly smile as he said nothing and stepped into his car. Marie joined him in the passenger seat.

"You've learned just about everything I can teach you." James replied as he started the engine and began to drive. Marie appeared slightly disappointed by this fact. After all, it had only been a month where the two trained exclusively together. James was well aware that she was learning faster than he had when he was young. He was unsure if his teaching was actually going to be useful for the wanderer in training.

"So then, what are we going to do?" Marie asked. She was ready for the next challenge. However, as the road became longer and James drove for much longer he couldn't help but wonder if he was ready for her final test.

Marie stepped out of the truck and slammed the car door. James winced and shot Marie a look. She flinched a bit and shrugged.

"Sorry?" she added a slightly question mark to indicate that she didn't mean it. James moved on quickly as he strode the the trunk and opened it. His hands flurried to and fro as he cleaned and loaded a rifle and a backpack. This was his backpack so Marie began work on her own. James said nothing and gave no directions, which startled Marie. He always had instructions. He finished loading the rifle and the pack before he turned and pushed them into Marie's hands.

"Wha?" she began to ask before he jabbed a stimpak into her arm and the world faded away.

The world snapped back with a white light as Marie's eyes shot open and she woke from her slumped position against a dried up tree trunk. She had a blanket draped over her with her backpack tied to a branch next to her and rifle across her shoulders. Marie rubbed her eyes and stood from where she slept. The truck was gone. James was gone and the sun was starting to set. Marie was left alone. She blinked rapidly as her instincts took over. She wrapped the blanket into a bundle and looped it under her pack. Correction, James's pack as she slung it on and began inspecting the rifle. After satisfied that it was in good condition to fire, she slung it over her shoulders and began to explore where James had left her.

It was clear after a while of walking that James had left her in a place that she had never been before. It looked like some kind of mountain that she was on and it was a high altitude as it appeared too high for some kind of fog to permeate the area. Marie quickly deduced that it was a dangerous to walk in the fog as a dead person with no external wounds or injury lay dead near the foggy area. A beeping noise attracted Marie's attention as she scanned her surroundings. After a few moments of confusion it was apparent that the noise originated from her wrist. She looked down at it and discovered that James's Pip-Boy had been fastened there.

Marie waved the Pip-Boy at the fog and it clicked and beeped confirming her suspicions of the fog being dangerous. It wasn't just dangerous, it was radioactive. She scanned the area as the sun continued to set and decided to climb up the mountain instead. She hiked as she began to wonder where she was. All she remembered was falling asleep during the drive and then suddenly being on a boat before falling asleep again.

Marie reached the peak and saw the sun set over the horizon. She saw the reflecting glimmer of water in the distance. She turned to see more but found that the fog covered everything. Suddenly a cheer and applause from her Pip-Boy attracted her attention once more. She looked at it and found the green words print on the screen before her.

WELCOME TO FAR HARBOR


	78. Day IV

Marie knelt as the sun rose, lighting the scenery around her. First the mountain dirt was visible then the silhouette of the trees. Finally light broke through the heavens and all was revealed as Marie rubbed her fingers into the wet dirt and stood from her kneeling position. She raised her gun and rested the rifle on her shoulder. It was time to continue.

She started hiking down a fog-less portion of the the mountain trail before encountering a group of wolves patrolling the trail. She knelt, raising her rifle and scope to her left eye. She took a deep breath and as she waited for the wolves to attack first. This expectation was soon disappointed as a branch cracked and the wolves scattered after it. Marie knelt still and silent for another five minutes before inching back onto the trail.

"Not sure if that's how I would've handled it." James's voice filled her head. Though it wasn't really her voice, four days alone without a sane person to talk to was just starting to affect Marie. It was almost as if she had never spoken her entire life. She responded only in her head and heard James only in her head as well. It was a strange and surreal experience but it seemed to guide her instincts nonetheless so she didn't think it mattered. "Wolves are as scared of you as you are of them. Wait them off and then proceed carefully." James warned in her head.

"I know!" she snapped back. Stepping over a piece of concrete rubble as she slowly crept down the trail.

"The fog is dangerous. Make sure you're prepared for a sudden wisp of fog. It's radioactive and will kill you in a matter of hours if you breathe it in." James reminded her. Marie nodded and checked only to find a gas mask hanging from her belt loop and a caraveener on her right hand side. She inched foward and listened carefully for any sounds. The wolves appeared to be gone.

"Remember, just because it looks like you're alone," James began.

"Doesn't mean you're alone." Marie finished as she approached the end of the incline. She had reached the end of the mountain trail. She was on a main road. The road flattened out and rusty cars dotted it, marking her proximity to the ruins of civilization. Marie systematically unclipped the mask one-handed and slipped it on over her head, making sure that no hair was caught on its straps and tightened it to fit snugly.

"Good, better stuffy and safe than sorry." James said approvingly. Marie's sense of hearing suddenly disappeared as her world was transformed into her breathing and a corrupted, muffled version of everything she could hear before the mask was on. Marie pressed forward onto the road, despite her obvious fatigue and uncertainty.

"When you're out in the open, you're in danger. You're a target." James's voice boomed in her ears. Marie ducked behind a car, looked through its wrecked window before continuing while hugging the slight mud cliff to her right. The foliage between the road and the cliffside was up to her waist. Mud and a small stream bubbled around her boots as she pressed upstream. "Stay concealed, move slowly and move quietly." James ordered. Marie ducked under the weeds and stood once she was confident that the weeds would be able to conceal her in needed. Suddenly a gunshot rang through the air. Marie dropped to the ground, the mud pooled around her as the water filled in the holes.

"Stay still, you don't know who they're shooting at." James said cooly. Marie reached for the bolt of her rifle. Her index finger wrapped around the trigger. "Ah, trigger finger." James reminded. Marie nodded and placed her finger on the frame of the trigger.

More gunshots. Neither the dirt nor the asphalt around her was shooting shrapnel around, so Marie knew that the gunshots were directed elsewhere. Marie crawled forward before inching herself up the slope of the road. With her back on the slope, she raised her rifle and made an anxious chamber check. She propped the gun to be ready for fire when she shot up and aimed her rifle on the asphalt.

A group of trappers stood over the bodies of two settlers. Unidentifiable and not knowing where they came from, Marie initially ignored the bodies and focused her attentions on the trappers. Three trappers. One gun and two fish hooks. 12 rounds. More than enough to drop them.

"You think you're going to be fast enough?" James asked. Marie gave no answer. She aimed at the head of the trapper with the gun. She lay awkwardly with the left side of her body on the slope and her neck craned to aim the rifle properly.

"Nothing." A trapper said as he stood from looting the bodies. "Waste of time."

"Ah damn!" another said as the group began to trod off. They left the scene. Trappers, as Marie had observed in the past few days could be cannibals if so inclined. So Marie made no movements and kept aimed and scanning. The trappers never came back.

Marie raised her posture to a crouch behind a car. She looked up and scanned the road for a few minutes before approaching the bodies. She reacehd them and found a man and a woman. Likely a couple. She began to sift through their pockets, in hopes of something useful.

"Nothing you could do, kiddo." James's voice said, attempting to comfort Marie. Marie's eyes stung as she finished sifting their pockets and only found a bar of soap for her efforts. "Keep moving, you're in the open." James urged. Marie looked at the bodies and looked up to find the beach and a shovel nearby.

Moments later, Marie sat on the beach next to two freshly dug mounds as the waves lapped at their feet.

"It's low tide, water will be up soon. Burial at Sea." James mused. "How quaint. Now, let's get back on the road kiddo, get you something to eat." Marie slapped her hands together to shake off the sand as she stood. She grabbed her rifle from the sand and walked up the beach. She turned back and watched as the sun set behind the surf. She looked forward and only found more road to travel.

"You coming?" James asked. Marie turned from the waves and walked back inland. Ready to continue her test.


End file.
